hormones-related stories
Master Your Metabolism - Jillian Michaels' New Book
Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products
To keep her gorgeous physique, "The Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels used to work out eight hours a week, eat only 1,200 calories a day and felt tired all the time. She was also addicted to Diet Coke and into fat-free foods. After a poor report card from her endocrinologist, Michaels started paying attention to metabolism -- your hormones -- to keep her biochemistry in balance. Mastering her metabolism delivered big: Now she eats about 2,000 cals a day, works out strenuously two to three hours a week and has written a new book, "Master Your Metabolism." I recently reviewed the book and found the hormonal connection to weight loss a worthy, fascinating read. Here are a few highlights:
- Metabolic Hormones -- Jillian explains your metabolism is more like a chemistry lab, not a furnace. The trick is having the right balance of hormones in your system to properly burn fat and build muscle, not the opposite. She painstakingly covers 12 key metabolic hormones in a way the average Joe can understand. I finally know what ghrelin is and how to pronounce it (it's a hunger hormone and pronounced like 'grill-en').
- Endocrine Disruptors -- Get ready to be scared straight on how yo-yo dieting, processed foods, environmental toxins and our sleep-deprived, stressful lifestyles influence our metabolisms toward the Land of Fat. I knew about the yo-yo, sleep/stress part, but I've thought less about how processed foods and environmental toxins impact my hormones -- my metabolism.
- Remove --Learn the first step of The Master Plan -- get rid of these six Antinutrients and eight Less-Than-Stellar-Foods that trigger your fat-storing hormones. Bye-bye diet soda.
- Restore -- Step 2 is to reach for the Master 10 Power Nutrients, including winners such as legumes, alliums (e.g., onions, leaks, chives), the right meats and soluble fiber. Jillian stresses that if your food doesn't come from a mother or grown from the earth, don't eat it.
- Rebalance -- Step 3 explains when to time your eating, how much to eat and what foods you should combine for effortless weight loss. Yes, you have to eat breakfast, eat every four hours, don't overeat and reach for the right combo of fat/carbs/protein.
Has anyone else read this book, yet?
You're Not Fat, Just Bloated
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Bloating is usually caused by either a buildup of gas or fluid retention, say the "Body Talk" folks at Ladies Home Journal. Both can make your belly feel heavy and distended, and we all know that zipping jeans over a poochy tummy is a real downer. Help is here -- LHJ offers these ideas for blasting the bloat.
- Fiber. If you have a bowel movement less than three times per week, your digestion might be on the sluggish side, and your gut may be growing as a result. A high-fiber diet can help -- get 25 grams per day if you're under 50 and 21 grams after that. Increase your fiber by three to five grams per week (one apple, one cup of oatmeal) -- any faster and you might make the bloating worse.
- Gassy Foods. Fried and fatty foods, and some high-fiber goods, like beans, broccoli and cabbage, can boost your bloat. Try avoiding some of these items for a few days and see if your mid-section melts away. You don't want to eliminate veggies, though, so just cut back and try to find some options that don't bother you. You can also try Beano drops or tablets before eating your favorite foods. Anti-gas medications can help too.
- Gulping Air. When you chew gum, drink through a straw, down sodas and smoke, you swallow air, and this can put carbon dioxide into your digestive tract. You don't want that, so stop smoking, cut back on the gum and straws and eat and drink slowly to reduce air intake.
- Hormones. Progesterone surges prior to your periods, and water retention and slower digestion follow. Avoid salty foods and alcohol consumption prior to your period, and up your exercise to stimulate your system.
Steve Jobs - Sometimes Weight Loss Isn't PC
Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, has lost massive amounts of weight recently ... and not because he wanted to. In recent months, he's been so thin, many people were afraid for his health. Jobs recently sent out an open letter to the Apple community that explains his dramatic weight loss. Jobs is suffering from a hormone imbalance. Jobs said, "The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment."
Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of many medical issues, such as Jobs' hormone imbalance. If you're experiencing unexplained weight loss, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. If, on the other hand, you're on the flip side of the coin and struggling to lose unwanted pounds, check out the America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size program.
Weight Control - Can These Hormones Help?
NAPEs are natural substances released in the body which help us to feel full. New research indicates that varieties of this hormone might one day be effective in controlling appetite, which would make it an important soldier in the fight against obesity.
Research is still in its early stages -- tests have only been conducted on rats and mice at this point -- but researchers are cautiously optimistic. In the study, rats who were given NAPEs consistently ate less and lost weight. Though results aren't firm, research indicates that some people may have abnormal releases of NAPEs in their systems, which could potentially contribute to obesity.
Miracle or medical nightmare? A pill could help you shrink two dress sizes
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I've said it before: When it comes to weight loss, there are no quick fixes -- well, at least none that are healthy and effective in the long run. These days, there's a lot of buzz about one quick weight loss plan. Dubbed a miracle pill, this once-daily medication has been shown to shrink study participants two clothing sizes in six months, more effective than any other pill on the market.
Here's the scary part: Originally developed to treat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, tesofensine alters the chemicals in the brain that control appetite and hunger. The side effects include diarrhea, nausea, constipation, insomnia and mood changes. Yikes!
Get in on the secret life of fat
Poke that spare tire around your waist (if you have one, that is. If you don't, kudos to you!). It might not look so good, but it seems innocent enough, right? Guess what? It's not. Just ask researchers, who are learning that fat is anything but inert. It actually plays a powerful role in a body's health, they say.Everyone has fat cells; babies are born with up to 10 billion of them. As we gain weight, fat cells expand and new cells are created. An obese person may have up to 100 billion and even when weight is lost, the number of fat cells does not decrease. But beyond their sheer number, fat cells act negatively on the body. While normal-sized fat cells release hormones that help the body, over-sized fat cells have the opposite effect, releasing hormones that increase inflammation and preventing good hormones like those that reduce the body's resistance to insulin.
So while you might be motivated to lose that spare tire for that tropical vacation you have planned this winter, there's a much bigger, more important reason to lose it -- your good health.
Pregnant? Eat up -- or your child could be obese
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Pregnant? Counting calories? Quit it, says a study out of the UK. Pregnant women who count calories and watch what they eat are upping the chances that their child will be obese, according to this article from the Daily Mail. Scientists working on the study have concluded that women who are expecting should avoid any food fads and refrain from going on any sort of diet.
Says Dr. Helen Budge: "Whether we become obese is often established before, and soon after, we are born and is influenced by both the eating habits of our mothers and by the nutrition we receive as babies in the months after birth. [When the mother practices poor nutrition,] We know the chemistry of these cells is upset. There is more inflammation and stress on the cells and the hormone balance is upset." She adds, "The message is about getting the balance right."
Losing baby weight is tough, but don't take your chances. When you're eating for two, eat healthy and eat lots. And give yourself permission to indulge once in a while, OK?
Stress Less: You snooze, you lose
Stress, that is. A timely story about sleep posted this morning discusses why sleep is so important in so many ways to our health. Of course, one of those ways is managing stress hormones. And, of course, I am struggling through the morning after an entire night of insomnia.
According to the article, our bodies use sleep to release certain hormones, including those essential for growth and development. If we wake in the middle of the night, those functions are disrupted. One example is cortisol. For people with normal sleep patterns, this stress hormone peaks around 4 a.m. We're blissfully unaware because we snooze through it. Then, a doctor is quoted as saying: "If you're awake longer than you should be for a few days, that puts your body under stress, which leads to higher levels of cortisol."
Let's hope I have some luck tonight.
"Sexy" voice linked to fertility
Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Phoebe had a cold but loved it because she was singing with a "sexy" voice? It turns out a bad head cold isn't the only way to acquire a sexier voice than usual. Research indicates that women's voices become more alluring when they're at their peak of fertility.Recordings were taken of women's voices at different times during their menstrual cycle. When replayed to both women and men, the recordings taken closest to ovulation were rated as more attractive. Researchers think that hormones may affect the voice box, creating a sexier voice. More work is needed to determine exactly how the voice is affected. But I think we all know why, don't we?
Check out AOL Body for more on women's sexual health. Guys, here's a link for you, too.
Spray this on to improve your sex life
Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation
It's not the latest French perfume. It's not an after-bath body splash. It's not a fake tan. So what is this spray on substance that can give your sex life a jump start? Hormones. Researchers have conducted a study with a hormone that's administered as a spray. The testosterone spray was given to women who hadn't reached menopause, had low natural testosterone levels, and had little interest in sex. On an intermediate dosage, the women realized a significant increase in their interest in sexual activity.
Though testosterone is considered a "male" hormone, all females have low levels of testosterone in their bodies. Even after administering the testosterone spray, 95% of the women in the study still had normal ranges of the hormone in their system.
There is one notable side effect, however. Women who used the spray developed an excess of body hair. Not exactly the turn-on their partner might need now, is it?
Ladies, hop on over to this AOL Body site for more on women's sexual health. Guys, here's an AOL Body site for you.
Life Fit Chat with Laura Lewis: Breaking Out of Hormone Hell
Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!For those of you who have experienced "The Change" you may remember it as more of a Hormone Hell rather than a mere life "change." PMS, Menopause, Perimenopause ... is it possible to avoid the tumultuous time that many experience while a lucky minority are able to escape?! I regularly see a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and with her guidance she has treated me personally for various "imbalances" I have experienced over the years with herbal remedies. And I believe it is possible to bring a body back into balance via certain alternative therapies.
"Herbally" Speaking....There are certainly pros and cons to just about every therapy available on the market, but herbal remedies often have fewer, and less drastic, side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts. Having said that, it is important to note that herbs are not subjected to the same governmental regulatory standards as pharmaceuticals. Before starting any new therapeutic regiment, be sure to consult with your physician. Let your health care provider know of any medications you are taking as some herbs can have harmful interactions with other drugs.
The American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) released the following guidelines on the most popular alternative therapies for menopause:
Is lipstick helping women get bigger breasts?
There has been a "growing" trend among women in recent years regarding their cup size, and scientists are trying to figure out where it is coming from. People point to early puberty as being a potential cause, but there's also another angle worth considering: lipstick.Chemicals found in lipstick (and other cosmetic products) contain a false hormone called xeno-oestrogen. This mimicking chemical is added to things that are being applied directly to the human body, thus absorbed into women's systems. The artificial hormone acts like oestrogen, which has been known to increase bust size (even in men).
Now it's obvious that lipstick alone is not the culprit. But when taken in small quantities every day from dozens of products, xeno-oestrogen seems like an easy target. Who knows for sure what's affecting it? There's a chance it has nothing to do with these external influences at all. Any women out there with more insight and experience in this area?
FDA sticks it to custom hormones for women
You can buy anything over the Internet. Chances are your inbox or spam folder can attest to that. But the FDA has sent out warning letters regarding custom-made hormones for women going through menopause. You can get them over the web, but the FDA does not review the products.It seems like a wild frontier, but these hormones are not always what they claim to be. Being peddled as "biologically identical hormone replacement therapy" is a false advertising scheme that could lead to nasty risks in the long run. Heart attack, breast cancer and stroke risk have long been known to increase with use of these products.
Don't fall for everything you see in the online pharmacy space. They're out to make money too, so just use your head.
Forget coffee... Combat drowsiness with a nasal spray!
Ever had that feeling like you are on edge after drinking a pot of coffee? Maybe you were up late for a job or studying for exams. Either way, coffee and other stimulants can have adverse side effects like high blood pressure or uneasiness.Here's a novel idea: Snorting a hormone via nasal spray that will combat drowsiness due to the lack of sleep. It sounds like coffee's biggest competition, and it could help you stay awake! Apparently there are no bad side effects, but we all know how long term sleep depreviation can harm the body.
The research cites evidence of sleep deprived monkeys waking up to perform just as well on cognitive tests as their well-rested counterparts. Consider for a second professions like airline pilots or military personnel who sometimes need to stay awake for long periods of time. This would be great for them, because the nasal spray doesn't come with the edginess people get from using coffee. It would be interesting to see if this product hits the consumer market. Read more about it here if you're interested.
Is Menopause only applicable to humans?
Are human females the only primates that go through menopause? In some recent news from the world of science, it was found that female chimpanzees don't go through menopause in the way that human females do.However, these same female chimps do indeed have their ability for reproduction tempered at a certain age as those capabilities taper off. If they can do it, why not human females? Great question, although there isn't an answer yet.
What scientists founds was that female chimps have a fertility rate that declines along with survival odds. Healthy female chimps can have high birth rates in the later years of life as a result.
