When it comes to weight loss, we tend to assume there are only two pieces to the puzzle: diet and exercise. Or to simplify it even further, calories in and calories out. But in fact, there are a whole host of other factors that contribute to or hold us back from weight loss success. I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that hormones can play a major role. After all, these chemicals affect almost every aspect of our health. Fortunately, we aren’t simply at their mercy. There’s a lot we can do to affect the balance of our hormones and how they influence our fat storage, appetite, and weight. We just have to understand what they are and how they work.

One thing you’ll notice as you read through this month’s issue is that there are more hormones to consider than the usual estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. You may not have heard about some of these, but each one plays an important role in your weight loss. Here’s how you can use hormones to your advantage to lose weight and keep it off.

Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a major player when it comes to weight loss. That’s because it stimulates appetite. And of course, as you know, taking calories in plays a major role in our weight. Ghrelin may also regulate the release of growth hormone from the pituitary. Even though it’s made in the stomach, it influences our mood, brain function, and energy. In fact, just looking at pictures of food can increase ghrelin levels. So you might want to stay away from scrolling through Pinterest or browsing cookbooks if you haven’t planned a snack into your calorie allowance for the day.

We do need ghrelin to help regulate our growth and metabolism. But you don’t want it to get overstimulated. Ghrelin may down-regulate anti-inflammatory molecules, block insulin secretion, and play a role in obesity and eating disorders, so it’s important to keep it under control. We’ll talk more about how to do that in a moment.

Leptin 

While ghrelin tends to be fast-acting, leptin is more important for long-term energy regulation. It also helps suppress appetite and curb cravings. Contrary to what you would expect, however, leptin levels tend to be elevated in people who are obese.

Researchers have found that obesity can lead to leptin resistance, forcing the body to try to overcompensate. When leptin gets too high, it causes an inflammatory response, which could contribute to the inflammatory conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, that are linked to obesity. So while it may be tempting to try to boost your leptin levels to decrease appetite, this is a case in which too much of a good thing can simply be too much. I’ll show you how to keep leptin in balance in a moment.

Cholecystokinin

This peptide hormone known as CCK comes from the small intestine. As you would expect from its origin, it’s important to digestion. But it’s also an important regulator of satiety. And if your body isn’t picking up on the signals that you’re full, you’re likely to keep eating. Remember that obesity can be correlated with leptin resistance? Well, in rats, that resistance contributed to reduced CCK sensitivity, which makes it harder for your body to recognize that you’ve had enough to eat. As you can see, when one of these hormones is out of balance, the rest aren’t far behind.

Research has found that overeating can make your receptor cells less sensitive to CCK. This creates a vicious cycle: The more you eat, the less your body recognizes the signal to slow down. If you’re obese and struggling to lose weight because you always feel hungry, it may be because your body is desensitized to CCK. If that’s the case, you’ll need to design a sensible eating plan and a way to stick with it, even when the signals your body is sending tell you that you aren’t full yet. Over time, your body will become more used to the calorie reduction and better able to receive satiety signals.

Sometimes the addition of soluble and insoluble fiber helps to give the sensation of “fullness.” Green bananas and other foods high in resistant starch, a type of starch that isn’t digested in the same way as most starches, are helpful in creating that full feeling. Instead of the starch breaking down and being digested, it passes through the intestines – like insoluble fiber.

According to one study, the resistant starch in green bananas increases the rate of fat burning by blocking the body’s ability to use carbohydrates as fuel. When you can’t use carbs as fuel, your body is forced to use fat. Resistant starch also increases insulin sensitivity, which helps your body better control your blood sugar levels. Another unusual benefit of resistant starch is it acts as food for the probiotic bacteria in your digestive tract, specifically your intestines.

Insulin

Of course, we can’t talk about weight-related hormones without talking about insulin. As you may know, insulin is made in the pancreas, and it helps move glucose into cells so the cells can burn the glucose for fuel. It also stops the fat-burning process, so a hyperinsulinemic state will cause you to store excess fat rather than burn it off. If you consume too many calories, glucose levels stay elevated longer than they need to, so insulin has to work overtime. And when insulin is always around, insulin receptors get so used to it that they stop seeing it. That in turn contributes to the cycle of high insulin, blood glucose levels, and, of course, fat storage. Therefore, keeping insulin levels healthy is important not just for avoiding diabetes, but for maintaining a healthy weight as well. And, it’s not simply about a healthy weight, but how your body distributes the weight. High glucose for long periods of time makes for increased abdominal fat, which increases your risk for a variety of illnesses including diabetes and heart disease.

Irisin

Did you know we have more than one kind of fat? White fat is what you’re probably used to thinking of as fat. We don’t want too much of it, and it’s what we’re trying to get rid of when we talk about weight loss. But there’s also such a thing as brown fat. And brown fat burns a lot more calories than white fat because it has more mitochondria. So brown fat is actually an ally when it comes to weight loss.

How do we turn our white fat into brown fat? One way is through stimulating it with the hormone irisin. And if you want to increase your irisin levels, you have to exercise. Over time, you’ll get the benefit of not just the initial calorie burn from exercise, but the ongoing burn from the brown fat you generate.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and Adiponectin

You may have heard of CRP if you’ve read much about heart disease, as it’s an inflammatory biomarker. CRP levels tend to be higher in people who are obese, pointing to a potential relationship between inflammation and obesity. Adiponectin, which is an antiatherogenic plasma protein, is inversely related to both body fat percentage and CRP. So you want to keep your adiponectin levels high.

Now What?

Now that you know a little bit more about these hormones and their role in your weight, it’s time to explore how to best manage them. As you might expect, diet and exercise do play an important role in regulating these hormones. But once you understand how your choices benefit you beyond simply a calorie-related numbers game, it can be easier to stay on track with your healthy choices.

One of the best ways to affect your hormones through your diet is by eating plenty of fiber. Dietary fiber helps your body regulate both leptin and ghrelin. Plus, it can help your body feel full even if it’s not recognizing satiety signals like those from CCK very well. High-fiber foods tend to be bulky, but low-calorie, so they tend to make you feel full without overeating. And because a high processed-fat diet tends to increase leptin and ghrelin expression, eating fiber-rich foods, which tend to be low in processed fat, helps you avoid this spike.

We talked about exercise in relationship to irisin, but getting exercise can help balance leptin and insulin levels and increase beneficial adiponectin levels too. Plus, getting your leptin levels in line can help improve your CCK sensitivity as well. It is true that over time, exercise can increase your ghrelin levels slightly. After all, when you burn calories, your body’s natural instinct is to try to replace them. However, the advantages you’ll gain in increased muscle mass and improvements to your other hormones levels will more than counterbalance the ghrelin increase. Just keep in mind that while it’s fine to have a snack after you work out, you can easily out-eat any exercise, so don’t let working out become an excuse to stray from a healthy diet.

While exercising isn’t everyone’s favorite, most people like this next piece of advice: sleep. While you may not be burning tons of calories in dreamland, you are giving your body a chance to recover and reset. In fact, a study called the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study found that people who sleep fewer than eight hours a night are more likely to have high BMIs, high ghrelin levels, and too-low leptin levels. Plus, the longer you stay up, the more likely you are to have a late-night snack. Getting to bed on time can help you avoid those extra calories, while helping you get your hormones to healthier levels.

Hydration is important as well. Of course, you want to be sure you’re drinking plenty of water, but you can increase your weight-loss potential even more by drinking a few cups of green tea a day. Green tea contains a compound called EGCG that’s been linked to lower food intake levels, weight loss, and improved leptin levels. You may experience these benefits in as little as four weeks. Researchers have found that an extract of green tea, like that found in Green Tea Extract, can help you lose weight as well.

Finally, there are other supplements that can help you keep your hormones in balance. Conjugated linoleum acid (CLA) helps balance leptin levels. In one study, obese men with metabolic syndrome experienced a decrease in abdominal diameter after taking CLA for four weeks. Another study found that taking CLA for six months can reduce body fat and help prevent weight gain. Yet another study found that CLA may even help lower triglycerides, a blood fat linked to heart disease and obesity.

Because many hormonal imbalances are linked to inflammation, anti-inflammatory supplements can help as well. Resveratrol, such as that found in Advanced Polyphenol Formula is an
effective anti-inflammatory supplement. You also can get resveratrol in your diet while increasing your fiber intake by eating berries and grapes. Drinking green or turmeric tea will help reduce your inflammation as well. The turmeric found in Reduloxin is extremely well absorbed and can help your body reduce inflammation.

Finally, try to keep stress to a minimum by engaging in relaxing activities. Of course, getting enough sleep will help reduce your stress levels. We’d have to introduce a whole host of other hormones if we talked much more about stress here, but those hormones can affect your weight as well and can cause your inflammation levels to spike. Fortunately, exercise can be a great stress-reliever.

I know this may seem like a lot to take in, but keep in mind that the healthy habits you’re already familiar with are foundational to helping you maintain a healthy weight. Now you just know a little bit more about how and why they work and which strategies you may need to focus on to address a particular issue you’re struggling with! You can order and get more information on all the supplements mentioned here by calling 800-791-3395.

3 Powerful Non-Drug Options for Reducing Your Anxiety

Anxiety is a challenging condition that many people face, one that can range in severity from occasionally frustrating to truly life-altering. And for people who are hesitant about taking prescription drugs, the challenge of figuring out how to appropriately treat anxiety can fuel the cycle.

While it’s important to seek the opinion of a trained professional if your anxiety is severe enough to interfere with your day-to-day life, there are non-pharmaceutical options that can help treat anxiety safely and effectively. Many of these options have been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of health complaints. After all, for thousands of years, plants and herbs were all that was available. Fortunately, they work. Here are just a few that may help reduce general anxiety.

Ginkgo – You may have heard of ginkgo before because it’s been studied for years to see if it can affect dementia and cognition. And for good reason: Ginkgo seems to have significant effects on the brain, including on your mood. One study of ginkgo biloba’s effects on mood involved 107 participants with diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
In a four-week randomized controlled trial, the participants received 480 mg or 240 mg of ginkgo biloba leaf extract a day or a placebo. The researchers used a tool called the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) to assess the effects of the treatments. After four weeks, the HAMA scores of both groups taking the ginkgo dropped significantly compared to the placebo group.

And it was dose dependent, as the high-dose group’s scores dropped the most.

Ginkgo is generally considered to be safe, but some studies have found that it can slightly increase bleeding risk. If this is an area of concern for you, be sure to discuss ginkgo with your doctor before you begin taking it.

Chamomile – If you’ve ever had a cup of chamomile tea to help you unwind at the end of a long day, you understand why this flowering plant has a reputation for being calming. Researchers are still investigating just how chamomile works to reduce anxiety, but some suspect it may have a mild sedative effect. In an eight-week double-blind randomized controlled trial, 57 participants with GAD received a dose of chamomile ranging from 200 mg to 1,100 mg or a placebo.

The study found that the participants who received chamomile demonstrated statistically significant decreases in anxiety on the HAMA compared to those who received a placebo, though the researchers weren’t able to pin down the perfect dose. However, none of the participants reported any negative side effects, even at higher doses.

Chamomile is generally considered safe, but there is one caveat: If you have a ragweed allergy, chamomile might not be for you. Chamomile can contain the same pollen and cause a reaction. Otherwise, adding a cup or two to your routine may not only be a soothing ritual in its own right, but also help reduce anxiety.

Ashwagandha – This herb is one I’ve written about before in relation to menopausal sleep difficulties. But the benefits of this adaptogen herb frequently used in Ayurvedic medicine don’t end there. It helps regulate cortisol and balance the endocrine system, so it’s not surprising that Ayurvedic medicine categorizes it as a “rasayana,” a way to improve physical and mental performance.

This can include easing anxiety, according to a six-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of the herb. The 39 participants had a range of diagnosed anxiety disorders and received 500 mg of ashwagandha or a placebo twice a day throughout the duration of the study.

Though the differences the two groups demonstrated on the HAMA were small, the ashwagandha group did have more improvements. And 88.2% of that group met the criteria the researchers set for a response, compared to only 50% of the placebo group. The ashwagandha also did not cause any negative side effects, which can often accompany anti-anxiety medications. Because ashwagandha does help you sleep, it can relieve anxiety that may be stemming from pure exhaustion.

These are some of the best plant- and herb-based remedies that can help ease symptoms of anxiety without introducing new problems. Simply because something wasn’t made in a lab doesn’t mean it doesn’t work!

In fact, as our ancestors proved, often what we can grow ourselves is all we need to maintain our health. However, there are cases when medication may be necessary, so talk to a doctor if your symptoms are moderate or severe. And remember, never stop taking any medications without the supervision of a professional. While there may be a natural option that will work just as well, it’s important to transition to it in a safe manner.

One final note: If anxiety is causing you to lose sleep, make sure you read the Nutrition Detective on page 4. There’s a simple way to reduce anxiety that comes from the bark of the magnolia tree.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436933/

Nutrition Detective

How a Tree Bark Can Help With Anxiety-Caused Sleeplessness

If you struggle with sleep difficulties, you may know that Advanced Bionutritionals Pure Sleep formula can help you calm down and ease into rest. Pure Sleep contains a blend of ingredients that support healthy sleep, including melatonin and l-tryptophan. But the real star of Pure Sleep is an ingredient you may not have heard of.

It’s a magnolia bark extract called honokiol. Traditional Chinese Medicine has used this bark for thousands of years to calm people down and help them sleep. But you don’t have to rely on the word of people who lived centuries ago – there’s plenty of scientific evidence backing up the efficacy of honokiol.

One study published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior investigated the link between anxiety and liver damage. Anxiety disorders often occur in conjunction with other inflammatory conditions, and this may be because inflammation, oxidative stress, and our brains’ reactions are all linked. Because honokiol is a polyphenol with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and liver-protecting properties, it’s uniquely able to combat both anxiety and liver damage simultaneously.

Researchers investigated its effects by inducing anxiety-related behaviors and liver damage in mice. They then treated them with varying levels of honokiol and evaluated their behaviors and the state of their blood and their livers. The more honokiol the mice received, the less reduction in body weight and food and water intake they experienced and the fewer anxiety-related behaviors they displayed. They also had lower inflammation levels and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. The mice even avoided liver damage thanks to the reduction in oxidative stress. The researchers believe that honokiol shows great promise for treating both anxiety and liver damage linked to inflammation.

A separate review study, published in Frontiers in Neurology, investigated many of the neuroprotective properties of honokiol. Honokiol has shown to have potential in treating everything from anxiety, pain, and cerebrovascular injury to epilepsy and cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It’s known to have both neuroprotective and anesthetic effects.

The review also confirmed that honokiol can promote sleep, in part by helping to reduce anxiety. It reported on a recent study in which honokiol significantly shortened the amount of time it took participants to fall asleep and increased the amount of time they spent in non-REM sleep. It does this in part by increasing levels of a brain chemical called GABA, which helps you slow down racing thoughts.

If you’re struggling with anxiety-related sleeplessness, sometimes encountering unfamiliar ingredients on the labels of products promising to help only serves to increase your anxiety. But when you see honokiol on the label for Pure Sleep (800-791-3395), you can rest assured that it has the ability to help you get some rest.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25725264.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24062717.

LETTERS

Q: What therapies are there for nerve pain? – Maxine C., Belleville, NJ

Dear Maxine,

Perhaps the most notable natural therapy for peripheral neuropathy is benfotiamine, the active form of vitamin B1. Advanced Bionutritionals makes a formula called Advanced Nerve Support (800-791-3395) that contains benfotiamine. And we’ve received many letters of thanks from happy customers. It may be worth a try. There’s a lot of research behind this nutrient proving its effectiveness. I’ll have more on this nutrient in future issues. In the meantime, give it a try and let us know if it works for you.

Q. The week your article, “3 Secrets to Beating Osteoporosis” (May 2016) arrived in my mailbox, I received a diagnosis of osteoporosis in my lumbar spine (L1 to L4), T-Score -2.5 With osteoporosis in my family (mother and sister) and my enlarged thyroid, my physician ordered a blood test for thyroid and a thyroid uptake scan. PTH, T3 and T4 were within normal range, but TSH was 0.08. Twenty-four hour uptake measured 27.4%, an upper end normal. The endocrinologist recommends removal of my thyroid citing my osteoporosis and possible future atrial fibrillation. Is it really possible to halt my osteoporosis by removal of my thyroid? – Barbara J., Burnsville, MN

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for your note. Before undergoing any surgery, I think it’s important to get a second opinion. The University of Minnesota has a robust endocrinology department and I would recommend getting one more opinion from them. If both medical professionals are in agreement, then the surgery is most likely a good idea.
Osteoporosis is usually multifactorial. Having said this, I’m sure that your endocrinologist has explained that if the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level stays too low for a long period of time, you’re at a higher risk of osteoporosis. Typically, women with low TSH have a tendency to lose bone a little faster than those with normal TSH levels. But this is still being studied.

Q. I recently read that inflammation impacts mood. Is this true? Thank you for answering this question that I presented to my psychiatrist with little response. – Becky R. Toledo, OH

Dear Becky,

There is groundbreaking research that points to chronic inflammation as the root cause of a subset of clinically depressed and anxious individuals. Several studies have found elevated levels of cytokines, an inflammatory biomarker, to be higher in patients with major diagnosed depression. Please share the link below with your psychiatrist.

As for treating inflammation, you have to eat healthfully, exercise, and rest. But you also may want to take a supplement like Reduloxin, which is very effective in treating systemic inflammation. Give it a try and see if it helps level your mood. You can order Reduloxin by calling 800-791-3395.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ziad_Kronfol/publication/12533233_Kronfol_Z_Remick_DG_Cytokines_and_the_brain_implications_for_clinical_psychiatry_Am_J_Psychiatry_157_683-694/links/568121d808aebccc4e0bb996.pdf.