In this article, we’re going to present you 9 ways that will help you “fix” the hormones which control your weight.
- INSULIN
This is a hormone which the beta cells of the pancreas produce. Throughout the day, it’s secreted in small amounts. After meals, it’s secreted in greater amounts. This hormone gives our cells the possibility to store blood sugar for what we need in that moment.
Insulin is also considered to be the main fat storage hormone in the body. It prevents stored fat to break down and tells fat cells to store fat. It is very common to have cells that are insulin resistant. Then, the insulin levels as well as the blood sugar increase to a greater extent.
Insulin levels which are increased chronically is called hyperinsulinemia and it can causemetabolic syndromeand obesity.
The overeating of fast food, sugar andrefined carbohydrates increases the levels of insulin and causes insulin resistance,
YOU CAN IMPROVE THE SENSITIVITY TO INSULIN AND NORMALIZE THE LEVELS OF INSULIN IN THESE WAYS:
Avoid or minimize sugar:Sucrose and fructose in high amounts can increase the levels of insulin and promote insulin resistance.
Reduce carbohydrates: A diet low in carbs can decrease the insulin levels.
Fill up on protein: Protein increases insulin in the short-term. It will also help you lose belly fat.
Include plenty of healthy fats:Fatty fish which contain Omega-3 fats can decrease your levels of insulin.
Exercise regularly:Jogging or walking briskly can improve the sensitivity to insulin.
Get enough magnesium:People who are resistant to insulin are often low in magnesium. Insulin sensitivity can be improved with the help of magnesium supplements.
Drink green tea: Green tea can decrease the levels of insulin as well as the levels of blood sugar.
- LEPTIN
Leptin is a hormone produced by our fat cells. It is also called the “satiety hormone” which makes you feel full and decreases your appetite. It communicates with the hypothalamus. This is the part of our brain which regulates the intake of food and the appetite.
Leptin helps us prevent overeating by telling our brain that there’s enough fat in storage.
People who are obese usually have increased levels of leptin in their blood. According to a study, the levels of leptin in obese people were 4 times higher than in people who had normal weight.
If leptin decreases appetite, obese people with high levels of leptin should lose weight because they’ll start eating less.
Unfortunately, when people are obese, the leptin system doesn’t work well and it’s called leptin resistance.
When leptin doesn’t work well, it can’t send a signal to our brain that we have enough stored energy.
Your brain thinks that you’re very hungry, so you start eating.
Leptin levels are also decreased when you lose weight.
Two potential causes of leptin resistance are inflammation in the hypothalamusandchronically increased insulin levels.
THESE ARE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE LEPTIN SENSITIVITY:
Avoid inflammatory foods:The include trans-fats and sugary drinks.
Eat certain foods: Eat more anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish.
Exercise regularly:Leptin sensitivity can be improved by moderate activity.
Get enough sleep:According to some studies, insufficient sleep can increase the appetite and decrease the levels of leptin.
Supplements:Fish oil and alpha-lipoic acid are proven as good.
- GHRELIN
Ghrelin is also called the “hunger hormone.”
Your stomach releases ghrelin when it’s empty, so it sends a message to the hypothalamus that you need to eat.
The levels of ghrelin are usually increased before eating and decreased 1 hour after you’ve had a meal.
In people who are obese, fasting ghrelin levels are often lower than in people of normal weight.
According to studies, after obese peopleintake a meal, their ghrelin only decreases slightly. Their hypothalamus doesn’t receive a strong signal to stop eating, so it leads to overeating.
Ghrelin levels can be decreased in these ways:
Sugar: Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and high-fructose corn syrup.
Protein:Include protein in every meal, especially during breakfast.
- CORTISOL
Cortisol is produced by our adrenal glands.
The other name for this hormone is the “stress hormone” since it is released when our body feels stressed.
Chronically increased levels of cortisol can cause weight gain because they will lead to overeating.
According to a study, women who had excess of weight around their middle respond to stress with a very increased cortisol.
Here are some ways to help you decrease the levels of cortisol:
Balanced diet:You should eat a diet based on real foods, but not cutting the calories to an extreme amount.
Meditate:It’s a great way to decrease the production of cortisol significantly.
Listen to music:It has been scientifically proved that the levels of cortisol don’t increased if you listen to soothing music.
Sleep more:Good sleep and rest is crucial for normalized cortisol.
- ESTROGEN
Estrogen is considered to be the most important female sex hormone.
The ovaries produce it as well as some other cells throughout a woman’s life. It makes some changes through the period of puberty and makes the breasts grow.
Very low and very high levels of estrogen can cause weight gain.
When the reproductive years happen, this hormone lets women store enough fat so that they could have enough energy for their pregnancy.
Obese women have more increasedlevels of estrogen than normal weight women. According to some researches, it’s because of the environment.
Here are some things you can do to help you manage the levels of estrogen:
Fiber: Eat plenty of fiber.
Cruciferous vegetables:These are very beneficial for the estrogen.
Flax seeds:Flax seeds are amazing for the levels of estrogen.
Exercise: Physical activity can contribute a lot.
- NEUROPEPTIDE Y (NPY)
This hormone is produced by the nervous system as well as the brain cells.
It stimulates the appetite, especially for carbohydrates. It is the highest during periods of food deprivationorfasting.
Stress can increase the levels of neuropeptide Y and it leads to abdominal fat gain and overeating.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN HELP YOU DECREASE NPY:
Protein: A diet low in protein can increase the release of NPY and it causes weight gain, increased food intake or hunger.
Don’t fast for too long:Fasting periods which are very long can increase the levels of NPY dramatically.
Soluble fiber: Eat plenty of soluble prebiotic fiber to feed the friendly bacteria in your gut.
- GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1 (GLP-1)
This hormone is produced in our gut when nutrients enter the lower digestive tract.
It keeps our levels of blood sugar stable and you feel satiated.
The decrease in appetite which occurs immediately after a weight loss surgery mostly happens because of an increased production of GLP-1.
Here’s how to increase GLP-1:
Eat plenty of protein: Yogurt, fish orwhey protein can improve insulin sensitivityandincrease GLP-1 levels.
Eat anti-inflammatory foods: Chronic inflammation is connected to reduced GLP-1 production.
Leafy greens:Kale and spinach are especially good.
Probiotics: During an animal study, a probiotic supplement that was used increased the levels of GLP-1 and that led to a reduction in food intake.
- CHOLECYSTOKININ (CCK)
This is also a satiety hormone produced by the cells in our gut.
Increased amounts of CCK can decrease the intake of food intake in both obese and lean people.
Here are some strategies that can help you increase CCK:
Protein: Eat plenty of protein with every meal.
Healthy fat:Fat can trigger the release of CCK.
Fiber:Beans and other foods which contain fiber can increase the levels of CCK.
- PEPTIDE YY (PYY)
Peptide YY (PYY) is also a gut hormone which controls our appetite.
The cells of the lowest portion of our gutrelease it.
It has a great role to decrease your risk of obesity and reduce the intake of food.
You can increase the PYY like this:
Lower-carb diet:A diet based on unprocessed foods can help you have stable levels of blood sugar. Increased blood sugar can impair the effects of PYY’s.
Protein:You can intake protein from plant and animal sources.
Fiber:Plenty of fiber is necessary.
ANYTHING ELSE?
The hormones work mutually to enable fat storage as well as decrease our appetite.
If their work is disturbed, we’ll have problems with our weight.
Some lifestyle changes and a change in our diet can help us greatly.
