The magic number: 40. You’ve heard all the cliches…it’s when your birthday cards from friends begin announcing “Over the Hill”. I prefer the one, “Life begins at 40”. That being said, our bodies do begin to shift as we reach the magic number. Back in our 20s we could eat, drink and be merry and do a few minutes in the gym and be as good as new. Or perhaps we’d cut back on our calories or alcohol for a few days and poof–weight loss magic! Now, those tactics may not work so well. Our metabolism has slowed down a bit. Hormones have shifted. We have become overwhelmed with responsibilities and let our health take a back seat.

What to do? In my work with celebrities and athletes, I often employ these 5 strategies for dropping pounds and getting lean. Now it’s your turn!

1. Change your workout.

Do you do the same routine over and over at the gym? Our bodies are incredibly efficient at adapting to routine. Mix it up! Burst Training or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an effective way to blast fat during your workout and for several hours later you will continue to rev your metabolism. Here’s the formula: The whole idea is to work at high intensities for short durations (typically under 60 seconds), recover at a low-intensity to let your heart rate go down (typically 90 seconds) then repeat again for a total of eight intervals.

The value in these “bursts” is they can create a strong fat-burning hormonal response. Low-intensity aerobic exercise simply doesn’t have the same effect on boosting your hormone levels.

In fact, researchers from Australia found that women who did only 20 minutes of interval training three times per week were able to lose more belly fat than women who did 40 minutes of long, slow cardio. So switch your program to short-burst exercise and you’ll get more results in less time!

2. Start your day with Protein!

3. Get your ZZ’s.

As you sleep, two important hormones are produced: leptin and ghrelin. They work in a kind of checks and balances system to control feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates appetite, while leptin, produced in fat cells, sends a signal to the brain when you are full. So what’s the connection to sleep? Lack of sleep causes leptin levels to drop and ghrelin levels to rise, so your appetite is stimulated and you don’t feel full after eating.

4. Check your Stress.
Cortisol, the stress hormone that you can read more about in my previous article can cause weight gain if it is unbalanced. Cortisol levels rise when our bodies or minds are stressed. When cortisol is elevated, we release sugar into our bloodstream and cause insulin levels to spike, setting up the fat storage scenario again. Taking certain herbs like Rhodiola can help support the body’s stress response and keep cortisol in check. Yoga, meditation, caffeine reduction and getting more sleep are all helpful in reducing cortisol levels.

Image Credits:  1: weightlossbestexercise.com/,
pic 2: cbsbaltimore.files.wordpress.com,
pic 3: 4.bp.blogspot.com, pic 4: goodhealthhabit.com

The term “stress” is used to describe many things in our culture. In fact, most doctor visits in this country are due to it. But did you know that high stress levels in women can trigger Perimenopause (changes in your menstrual cycle that occur before Menopause) and eventually Menopause? Let’s see how the two are related.

Stress causes a physical chain reaction in the body. Your adrenal glands are the organs that respond to stress. It goes something like this:

You feel or perceive a stressor- (lack of sleep+ coffee to wake you up+ screaming kids+ traffic+ a call from your mother/ex/boss= STRESS overload-and that’s all before 9AM! We’re living with our foot on the gas most of the day!

The adrenal response “fight or flight” is set into action and before you know it, your body is in stress- hormone- producing overload. One of the main players in this internal battle is Cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that increases during stress and increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, and decreases bone formation. Overproduction can lead to “belly fat”, hypoglycemia, frequent colds and eventually osteoporosis. Over time this elevation of Cortisol can also lead to the depletion of a very important hormone- DHEA.

DHEA is short for dehyrdoepiandrosterone. This particular steroid hormone helps build estrogen and testosterone. These two hormones have very important functions. As we age (gracefully-hopefully!), the ovaries begin to slow down in their production of estrogen and the adrenals are there to assist. We need estrogen to keep our skin supple, our hair full and our moods stable. Testosterone is an anabolic, or building hormone that keeps our muscle mass in tact, aids in bone growth and keeps our libido strong-amongst other things.

The other important player in this hormone balancing act is progesterone. Prolonged stress also depletes progesterone. This can lead to hot flashes, hair loss, irritability, mood swings and loss of bone density as well as many other unpleasant symptoms. Perpetual PMS anyone?

So what’s a girl to do? Move to a tropical island? Buy stock in DHEA?

The first place to start is with a salivary hormone analysis. Generally you want circadian cortisol levels, testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and DHEA measured. Get a baseline, see where you’re at and be proactive in your adrenal and hormone health. This is where I come in. I can assist you with the testing and a customized protocol for restoring your hormonal health. Never self supplement with OTC hormones like DHEA unless you have been tested and shown to be deficient. There can be side effects if you take DHEA and do not need it- like hair growth on unwanted places!

Taking care of your adrenals now may save you from experiencing some of the unpleasant symptoms that are often associated with Perimenopause and Menopause later.

Ingredients:
Filling:
8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thin
1/4 cup xylitol
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Crust:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp Xylitol
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tsp coconut oil
6 egg whites
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a bowl, toss together all filling ingredients. Put into baking dish.
3. Bake for 10 minutes and remove. Lower oven to 400.
4. While filling is baking, sift together flours, cinnamon, and baking powder in a large bowl.
5. Use a fork to mix in the coconut oil. It will make a dry crumb-like consistency.
6. Stick the flour and oil mix in the freezer.
7. Beat 6 egg whites until they are frothy.
8. Stir egg whites into the flour and oil mixture.
9. Use a spoon to drop the topping onto the fruit into balls.
10. Bake for 20 minutes until topping is browned.
11. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Optional: Top with So Delicious No Sugar Added Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream

1 TBSP granulated Xylitol
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Optional-Shredded, unsweetened coconut for garnishing

For the cakes: Preheat oven to 350F and line 6 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs well. Stir in coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla and stevia. In a smaller bowl, sift together coconut flour, baking powder, salt and xylitol.

Stir dry ingredients into wet and mix well. If batter seems too thick, add a bit more coconut milk until it resembles cake/pancake batter.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the tops of cupcakes spring back when touched lightly and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan.

Makes about 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces good quality dark dairy-free chocolate, coarsely chopped. I buy the bars at Whole Foods that are wrapped in plastic wrap-not a conventional chocolate bar.
• 1 15-ounce can coconut milk (not lite varieties)
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Preparation:

1. Place the coarsely chopped dark chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut milk until bubbles just begin to appear around the edges and steam rises from the surface. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chopped chocolate and let stand without stirring for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the chocolate-coconut milk mixture until glossy and smooth (this will take about 2 minutes of gentle stirring). Add the vanilla extract and stir until incorporated. Use immediately as it will thicken considerably if left standing. For thicker ganache, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

* Fatigue
* Headache
* Bloating
* Indigestion
* Constipation
* Nasal congestion
* Eczema
* Behavior problems
* Poor memory

And to dispel the common misconception that food has no bearing on disease development, there are a number of studies linking asthma, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease, depression, hypertension, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, and more to our diets.

Currently, there is much debate regarding the subject of food and how it affects our bodies and overall health. Moreover, the topic of food allergies has become more prevalent due to the increasing number of people affected and the broad array of diseases potentially associated with this phenomenon. But getting right down to it, the truth is, food allergy versus food sensitivity versus food intolerance, and differentiating the three, tends to get a little tricky. So let’s dissect these guys further and shed some light on this very important determinant of health—our diets!

We’ll start by describing the three individually:

Food Allergy – Adverse, over-reactive response by the immune system, towards a food or beverage item; typically more immediate in nature and involves many of the body’s immune cells including: lymphocytes, cytokines, mast cells, eosinophils, basophils and more. This category includes IgG reactions and immediate IgE hypersensitivity reactions that can result in anaphylaxis, a very serious condition. (Example: severe peanut allergy)

Food Sensitivity – A non-allergic response to a food or beverage, without the presence of IgE. Sensitivities tend to be more delayed in onset, chronic, and difficult to diagnose. Various reasons for occurrence include nutrient or enzyme deficiencies, eating the food too often, poor gut health and others. (Example: wheat or dairy sensitivity wherein a person develops symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, or nasal congestion hours to days after ingestion)

Food Intolerance – Non-immunological, adverse response to certain foods typically due to a physiological absence of the compound required to digest that food item. (Example: lactose intolerance wherein a person lacks the enzyme necessary [lactase] to break down lactose)

There is indeed overlap and yet asymmetry also. Without getting lost in the nitty-gritty, it’s important to keep in mind that regardless of the type of reaction imposed, the body, and more specifically the gut, sees exposure to these food offenders as a continuous insult that must be dealt with as often as the substances enter the body.

Let’s take a person who eats the same foods over and over, including two or three that do not “agree” with her body. This is interpreted as CONSTANT overload by the poor defenseless gut. And she wonders why she has trouble concentrating, irregular bowels, and on-going fatigue despite her best efforts to live a healthy life yet, she keeps sitting down to a plate of harmful fare.

In this unfortunate, all too often situation, the gut is charged with resolving this threat and in turn, the body has to shunt crucial time and energy away from normal, healthy processes such as maintaining cellular function, producing energy, digesting, fighting off infection, or growing a baby, to deal with this needless, recurring battle. Over time, this wears down her body and immune system’s ability to function at optimal levels and in turn, paves the way for disease processes such as those listed above.

So, where do we go for answers?

There are a number of diagnostic means at a clinician’s disposal to further explore a patient’s response to foods. Metametrix offers a series of tests pertaining to this topic including an Allergix IgE Food Antibodies, Celiac Profile, and the Allergix IgG4 Antibody Profiles. These can provide a great platform in the early phase of treatment plan creation. Results also serve as powerful reinforcement towards removing or decreasing offending foods that just so happen to be a person’s favorite—whether it’s a tall glass of cow’s milk, or whole-wheat bread. We all know that seeing something in writing may be the only way to bring about change!

In addition, the GI Effects profile provides further information about the overall state of gut-health. A dysbiotic, inflamed gut, as potentially illustrated through this type of testing, may offer additional clues to prove that disagreeable vittles are indeed wreaking havoc in the gut!

With that said, it’s important to remember that “negative” results or an absence of a response does not necessarily mean a person is free of any potential adverse food responses. If a patient has symptoms otherwise unaccounted for, the gold standard is implementation of an elimination diet. This is the only method to truly discover which foods cause a reaction in an individual!

Here’s my disclaimer though…

It can be quite an arduous undertaking (arduous but doable!) requiring strict adherence to an oligoantigenic diet over several weeks. This regimen typically consists of a nutrient-rich diet of steamed organic vegetables, some organic fruits, brown rice, some organic meats such as lamb, few spices, and avoidance of the big-time offenders like dairy, wheat, soy, corn, and citrus.

No matter which way our body responds to food offenders whether it’s a full-blown allergy, a sensitivity, or mere intolerance, it’s of top priority to remove harmful offenders, rotate daily meals, and incorporate healthy fare that’s not bothersome. In doing so, a world free of adverse food reactions and healthy bliss awaits. Love your gut, lose the offending foods!

I offer blood spot testing and stool testing from Metametrix to uncover your hidden food reactions.

I can help you navigate thyroid disease! Often, the adrenals or our “stress organs” are at the root of a thyroid disorder.  By performing a saliva test of cortisol levels throughout the day, we can see when you need extra support to combat the effects of stress on your entire body, including your thyroid gland.

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What else can you do?

Perhaps your diet is perfect and your workouts are burning fat and re-sculpting but you still have “bra fat” or “muffin tops”.  Sure, a muffin top sounds delicious, but we know it isn’t very pretty and could be a major health hazard as well. Women that have excess body fat stored in the belly or abdomen area (apple shape body type) could have low or high estrogen, high testosterone, high cortisol, high insulin and/or low growth hormone.  For men, excess fat in this area could indicate high estrogen, low testosterone, high cortisol, or low growth hormone. Over time, even just one of these imbalances could lead to disorders such as high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, bone loss—and possibly cancer.  Excess abdominal fat also doubles your risk of a heart attack, not to mention undermining your goal for a sculpted body.

Do you have “love handles” or (as I call them) the “not-so-lovely-love-handles”?  In women and men, fat stored in this area indicates an insulin/blood sugar imbalance. That can mean overindulgence in chips, cakes, alcohol and other carbs to the extreme.

How about the part of your arm that keeps waving long after your hand has stopped moving? That is often a sure sign of high insulin (think hormone that metabolizes carbs) or low DHEA (master of all hormones).  Without adequate DHEA, your other hormones can decrease and be aware that stress depletes DHEA also.  Too much DHEA can increase testosterone and estrogen so you should NEVER supplement with DHEA unless you have been tested and your levels are low.

I specialize in Hormone and Metabolism Correction, using state of the art testing to accurately measure your hormone levels and provide protocols to correct any imbalances we discover.  Adding hormone balancing to your fitness routine can dramatically change the way you look and feel and help you achieve the body you have always desired. Call today for information on my Hormone Balancing Package.

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 eggs

3 teaspoons Xylitol

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1/8 tsp fresh squeezed lemon

Method

Blend together butter, eggs, honey, salt and vanilla. Combine coconut flour with baking powder and whisk into batter until there are no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake 400F for 15 minutes. Serve topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Makes about 6 cakes.

Topping

16oz Organic Fresh Strawberries

1 tsp Xylitol

1/8 tsp fresh squeezed lemon

Method

Prepare strawberries and mash all ingredients together to make a chunky syrup.  Allow to sit for 30 minutes.  Cut cakes in half and spoon mixture over cakes-allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.  Top with Coconut milk ice cream (no sugar added by So Delicious) or whipped cream if you are not dairy sensitive.  ENJOY!!

1. Energy production

Abnormal adrenal function can alter the ability of cells to produce energy for the activities of daily life. People who have a hard time rising in the morning, or who suffer from low energy throughout the day, often have abnormal adrenal rhythms and poor blood sugar regulation.

The maintenance of a stable blood sugar level depends on food choice, lifestyle, adrenal function and insulin activity. The Adrenal Stress Index™ panel measures stress hormones and insulin, to help ferret out the causes of fatigue, cravings and obesity.

2. Muscle and joint function

Abnormal adrenal rhythms are known to compromise tissue healing. Reduced tissue repair and increased tissue breakdown can lead to muscle and joint wasting with chronic pain.

3. Bone health

The adrenal rhythm determines how well we build bone. If the night and morning cortisol levels are elevated, our bones do not rebuild well, and we are more prone to osteoporosis. Stress is the enemy of the bones. In postmenopausal women, the effect of stress worsens due to female hormone imbalances.

4. Immune health

Various immune cells (white blood cells) cycle in and out of the spleen and bone marrow. The immune system trafficking follows the cortisol cycle. If the cycle is disrupted, especially at night, then the immune system is adversely affected.

Short- and long-term stress is known to suppress the immune response in the lungs, throat, urinary tract and intestines. With reduction in the surface antibody (called secretory IgA), the resistance to infection is reduced and allergic reactions are believed to increase.

5. Sleep quality

The ability to enter REM sleep cycles and experience regenerative sleep is interrupted by high cortisol values at night and in the morning. Chronic lack of REM sleep can reduce a person’s mental vitality, vigor and induce depression.

6. Skin regeneration

Human skin regenerates mostly during the night. With higher night cortisol values, less skin regeneration takes place. Therefore a normal cortisol rhythm is essential for optimal skin health.

7. Thyroid function

The level of cortisol at the cell level controls thyroid hormone production. Often, hypothyroid symptoms such as fatigue and low body temperature are due to an adrenal maladaptation.

8. Grain intolerance and stress response

Approximately 12-18% of the U.S. population suffers from a genetic intolerance to grains, such as wheat, rye or barley contained in cereals, breads and pasta. A high incidence occurs in people with Celtic, Nordic, non-caucasian and Mediterranean ethnicity. The gut becomes inflamed within 30 minutes after consuming grains, and this can lead to an adrenal stress response, increased cortisol and reduced DHEA.

Source: Diagnostechs, Inc

Want to test YOUR Adrenal Function?  Contact me for information.