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The hidden causes of weight gain

by Flavia Kreis

Why is it so hard to stay in shape and keep fit? There are several factors that can make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.

Many people have a difficult time losing weight even if they try very hard. Despite the amount of effort they put in, they see few results.

One major reason: We live very stressed lives. This stress can be physical (allergies), or environmental or chemical (which includes synthetic hormones, pesticides, heavy metals, GMO foods and various preservatives).

With the constant pressures of life, many of us do not get enough sleep or rest, and when this situation occurs the body will ask for more food in order to compensate for the lack of energy. This food will not be completely digested because our adrenals will be in an overactive mode (adrenaline), which halts our digestive enzymes.

In addition, the adrenal glands secrete the hormone cortisol as a reaction to stress, and excess cortisol leads to weight gain, especially in the abdomen area, along with sleep disturbances, mood swings, irritability, loss of memory and poor digestion.

Elevated cortisol also aggravates sugar distribution, which contributes to development of high insulin levels and ultimately diabetes. When the adrenal glands pass the point of stress they go into exhaustion, which creates physically damaging conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, hormonal problems, inflammation and heart attack, just to mention a few.

What happens to unutilized foods? They can turn into fat and irritate your stomach and intestine linings, create allergies and create a whole vast array of digestive disorders such as IBS, leaky gut, bloating, and so on.

The inability to process foods correctly due to allergic reaction will also create hormonal imbalances, or systemic Candida (yeast) invasion that also causes weight gain. Elevated digestive toxicity develops as the result of an inability to process food correctly and eliminate excessive food intake.

Excessive consumption of carbohydrates can also cause weight gain: Carbohydrates turn into sugar in the blood stream, and unused sugar will turn into fat.

Strangely, we often crave the foods we're allergic to. Allergies can then lead to obesity, because the allergens will trigger the release of insulin, which causes low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include uncontrollable hunger, irritability and lack of concentration, brain fog and waking up too early. Once the allergic reaction is eliminated or reduced, the sufferer will no longer experience cravings and therefore will not be compelled to eat so much of the foods that make him or her overweight.

Estrogen dominance is another fairly common factor that contributes to inability to lose weight; we eat meats, eggs and dairy products that have been treated with synthetic hormones. Estrogens create water retention and fat deposits; in time of pregnancy, estrogens are vital in protecting the fetus, but elevated estrogens otherwise create havoc for our endocrine and digestive systems.

Vegetarians are usually thinner is because they are avoiding those hormones. It is not just because of fats in meat and dairy.

Have you had your thyroid checked lately? Many Americans suffer from undetected slow thyroid function (hypothyroidism). If you do have hypothyroidism it is almost impossible to lose weight. Go to your doctor and get tested.

Finally, there's exercise. Running is good, but not everybody can run due to bad backs, knees or swollen joints. In that case, a brisk half-hour walk every day can boost your metabolism as well. After lunch or dinner go out and enjoy a walk.

Using free weights helps to increase your muscle mass and burn the fat. Just 15 minutes a day can keep up your strength, which in turn keeps your skeletal system straight.

Or how about something fun, such as dancing classes? Just one type of exercise can get boring after a while, and boredom is one of the main causes of withdrawing from exercise. So maintain a variety and alternate your routine.

Flavia Kreis is a certified nutritional consultant and the owner of Integrative Nutrition and Wellness Center, located in downtown Mountain View. For more information, visit www.integrative-nutrition.com.