Why You’re Gaining Weight & What You Can Do About It

Sep 15, 2017 admin in From the Blog 0

Weight gain: from toxin overload to hormone imbalance, the causes of weight gain seem to be endless. Add these endless possibilities to your unique metabolism, genetic makeup, and situation and you have quite the confusing web to sort through to get to the root of your weight gain. What’s more, once you begin losing weight, you need to be aware of how sustainable your weight loss efforts are and have a plan in place to maintain that weight loss. For a weight loss program to be successful, there needs to be a sustainable plan in place, complete with accountability and support.

Why Am I Gaining Weight? Common Causes of Weight Gain:

PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the most common endocrine disorder to affect women of reproductive age. Classic PCOS presents with obesity, polycystic ovaries or multiple ovarian cysts, elevated androgen hormone levels and irregular or anovulatory cycles. PCOS is connected to insulin resistance but the exact cause of PCOS is still unclear. Scientific research suggests there may be a genetic link, possible abnormal fetal development, and inflammatory response contributing to the cause. By using sites like https://www.genealogybank.com/explore/obituaries/all/usa/minnesota/minneapolis/star-tribune, you could discover if it’s something that runs in your family. Additionally, by delving into the family lineage, you could also highlight any other diseases or illnesses that run in the family and identify them early on in life.

Hormone Imbalance: Hormone imbalance encompasses many different conditions. In general, high or low estrogen, low progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA, and high insulin and cortisol (or a combination of these) can all contribute to weight gain. For many women, hormone imbalance prior to menopause involves estrogen dominance, which causes a decrease in metabolism through inactivation of thyroid hormones as well as excessive fat deposition around the hips and thighs. During menopause, estrogen levels and lean body mass begin to decrease, resulting in increased overall fat mass and weight gain. There are lots of other symptoms for menopause that can be alleviated by natural products like CBD but unfortunately, weight gain caused by hormonal imbalance can’t be helped. For men, a decrease in testosterone and an increase in estrogen may be a factor in weight gain. While testosterone tends to decline naturally with age, it can also be affected by increased estrogen in the body, such as through exposure to xenoestrogens, which cause estrogen dominance by mimicking estrogen in the body. Obesity in and of itself can cause hormone imbalance as well, as an enzyme in adipose (fat) tissue converts testosterone to estrogen, further promoting fat storage.

Gut Dysbiosis: Gut dysbiosis refers to an imbalance of certain microbes in the gut. Gut microbes affect digestion, energy metabolism, lipid accumulation, weight, insulin, glucose, inflammation, mental health, synthesis of nutrients and vitamins, and immunity. When comparing the micro biome of obese individuals to lean individuals, it appears that the gut biome of obese individuals tends to take more energy from food, thereby promoting fat storage. When the gut microbiota are disrupted, there is an increase in adiposity, insulin resistance, gut permeability, inflammation, calorie intake, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Re-establishing beneficial strains of bacteria through a heavily plant based diet have been shown to improve glucose balance, reduce weight and fat mass, and restore glucose-mediated insulin secretion.

Environmental Toxicity: this refers to the accumulation of chemicals, heavy metals, and other toxins in the body that results in various health issues. In relation to weight, environmental toxins can contribute to weight gain through interrupting metabolism, contributing to an excess of male and female hormones in the body, and accelerate aging of tissues through mitochondrial poisoning and disrupted energy production. Environmental toxins can be found in our food and water, skin and body care products, and exposure to toxins such as obesogens in the environment. Obesogens are chemicals found in dietary, pharmaceutical, and industrial compounds that alter metabolic processes and contribute to leptin and insulin resistance. These include pesticides, phthalates and plasticizers (in plastics, air fresheners, laundry products, and personal care products), Bisphenol-A (BPA, in plastics and lining of cans), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, found in nonstick cookware, Gore-Tex waterproof clothing, mattresses, and microwavable food items), cigarette smoke, soy genistein, and MSG.

Hypothyroidism: this is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which play a role in metabolism, temperature regulation, growth and development, digestion, and reproduction. Hypothyroidism can also present as subclinical hypothyroidism, where the hormones are within the normal reference laboratory range but the level of thyroid stimulating hormone responsible for the release of T3 and T4 is mildly elevated. Hypothyroidism can result in fatigue, depression, poor concentration, loss of hair, dry skin, weight gain, cold intolerance, moodiness, and fertility issues. It can be the result of genetics (family history of hypothyroidism), autoimmune conditions, environmental toxins, nutrient deficiencies, diet, infections, stress, adrenal imbalance, and radiation.

Adrenal Imbalance: this often begins as an over taxation of the adrenal glands by physical stress, infections, nutrition deficiencies, psychological stress, inflammation and/or toxicity. This chronic stress causes adrenal resistance and results in elevated cortisol levels within the body and decreases liver detoxification and estrogen metabolism. Cortisol has a direct affect on our ability to gain or lose weight. Cortisol is necessary for blood sugar control, regulation of metabolism, and inflammation. However, when cortisol is in excess, the result is high blood sugar and blood pressure, insomnia, hypothyroidism, poor digestion, decreased immune function, and constipation. Studies show that elevated cortisol due to chronic stress is directly related to increased general and abdominal obesity. This increase in visceral and abdominal fat cells produces a cycle of issues as the fat cells produce more cortisol, continuing to have the above effects on the body as well as disrupting the balance of hunger and satiety hormones, gherlin and leptin. Adrenal stress begins to impair the liver’s ability to detoxify, which plays a role in the metabolism of estrogen. This leads to an increased estrogen/estrogen dominance picture, leading to excessive fat deposition (especially around the hips and thighs), high estrogen to progesterone ratios, and inactivation of thyroid hormones, all of which make it more difficult to lose weight. For some who suffer from this, they may look to alternative approaches to help them detoxify their liver. This may include an antioxidant elixir from such websites as https://www.loveyourliver.com/ and see how that can help them. In case of a reaction with other medications, this first must be discussed with a doctor before commencing.

Neurotransmitter Imbalance: neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the body that mediate many functions of the central nervous system and regulate a variety of processes, including energy, appetite, cravings, and sleep. Imbalances of neurotransmitters are most often seen in depression and anxiety and tend to be related to food intolerances or allergies, stress, toxins in the body, digestive issues, drug or medication use, nutrient deficiencies, genetics, and alcohol consumption. The main neurotransmitters include acetyl-choline, GABA, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which are manufactured from amino acids consumed in the diet. Along with diet, many medications can affect levels of neurotransmitters as can caffeine, GI dysfunction, stress, and chronic pain. This imbalance can lead to increased addictive or emotional eating, increased appetite, and increased cravings for carbohydrates or fatty/fried foods.

Post-Partum: pregnancy is an amazing miracle that showcases just how strong and resilient the female body is, yet also brings with it many challenges, including difficulty with weight loss postpartum. Throughout pregnancy, the increase need for nutrients paired with an increase in estrogen levels leads to substantial weight gain for some women. Many Mamas find weight loss post-baby difficult due to lack of energy, new schedule/time constraints, skipping meals or inadequate meal planning, and hormone imbalances.

Inflammation + Food Sensitivities: often related to metabolic syndrome and food/environmental sensitivities, excess inflammation in the body can lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Diet in particular plays a large role in contributing to low (or sometimes high) grade inflammation, which studies show is significantly associated with greater chances of increased annual weight gain and risk of becoming overweight or obese. Additionally, individuals with more adipose (fat) tissue seem to have a greater amount of inflammatory molecules circulating in the body, making this a vicious cycle.

Lack of Sleep: are you sleeping less than 6 hours per night? If so, research shows that you’re at an increased risk for obesity, especially if you’re under the age of 40. Lack of sleep can contribute to an imbalance of appetite regulating hormones, ghrelin and leptin, which can lead to an increase in food intake and cravings. The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort study found that sleeping less than 6 hours per night was associated with a 15% decrease in morning leptin (satiety hormone) levels while ghrelin (stimulates hunger) levels increased. Lack of sleep may be due to high or low blood sugar, stress, hormone imbalances, neurotransmitter imbalance, sleep apnea, use of blue light (via TV, phone, or computer screens) within 2 hours of bed, and certain supplements or medications.

Medications: many medications have the potential side effect of weight gain. These include antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, antihypertensives, corticosteroids, birth control pills and implants, diabetes medications, and mood stabilizing medications. While some of these medications may certainly be necessary, there are others that you may be able to taper down with the help of your doctor.

What Can I Do About My Weight Gain?

As we mentioned above, to be successful in losing weight, you must first find the underlying issue that is causing you to gain weight or that is inhibiting you from losing it. Your doctor will be able to help you through laboratory testing, physical exam, and taking a detailed history. Once you determine what is holding you back from losing/causing you to gain weight, you can enact a program to correct the underlying issues.

Making a Difference with The Balance Weight Loss Program:

Our comprehensive Balance Weight Loss Program (launching on October 24th, 2017, with a free talk by Dr. Suzanne Tang and Dr. Blaire Maliwat), is a minimum 3 month program guided by a team of supportive naturopathic and osteopathic doctors, acupuncturists, and nutritionists. This program works to identify the causes of weight gain with thorough visit intakes and laboratory assessment and supports sustainable weight loss by providing regular support meetings and check-ins with our doctors, complete with body fat and lean body mass testing. Our program implements the following to create a supportive environment that ensures your success: