Hormone imbalances can result from a multitude of insults to the body such as chronic stress, toxicity, lack of sleep, and undetected disease process, just to name a few. The symptoms due to hormonal imbalance can be debilitating and frustrating. Generally speaking, to sort out the cause and effect requires diagnostic testing ordered by a physician.
What we frequently notice in our work with patients is that although lab values may be normal, subclinical low levels can indicate an imbalance (or pre-disease state) and warrants attention, especially if symptoms are present. Additionally, functional medicine physicians know how to treat these early states with natural agents, whereas conventional physicians may not be interested in this option.
Hormones We Often Look Into
Treatment options for hormonal issues include Precision Medicine and Functional Medicine. For a personalized assessment and treatment plan unique to you and your needs, call Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan at (734) 929-2696 or book an appointment online.
Ideal Weight
Weight lost is health and energy gained! Being overweight exhausts energy reserves and places undue stress on our physical and physiological systems. Even if you eat correctly and exercise according to standard recommendations there are many rate-limiting factors that may be inhibiting your ability to lose the pounds you desire.
These factors might include:
- Individual genetic predispositions (we can check for these)
- Slowing of metabolism with age (doesn’t have to be this way)
- Hormonal imbalances (these can be easily identified and corrected)
- Possible prediabetic, insulin-resistant state (this can be prevented or reversed)
- Poor liver function (this can make a person feel horrible)
- Lack of understanding of proper diet and exercise (Hint: it’s not what the ‘food triangle’ or rouges at the gym are teaching)
What follows are recommendations that I and most other natural health physicians recommend as basic strategies for weight loss. Only after these have failed are the more novel medical weight loss programs warranted.
These steps (medically supervised) might include:
- Diagnose and treat any thyroid, adrenal, or hormonal imbalances.
- Look for and address any individual genetic predispositions.
- Increase metabolism at the cellular level.
- Protect cells and tissues from the effects of glycation (sugar damage).
- Improve the body’s response to insulin and tolerance for carbohydrates.
- Improve liver function and detoxification pathways.
- Manage stress, eat right, and exercise smart.
Raspberry Ketones or Beta hCG
For patients who are struggling with weight loss despite trying all of the above and having undergone a full medical work up, I sometimes recommend protocols using raspberry ketones or beta human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) together with a calorie-restricted diet.
Many patients have had great success with these programs. These are medically prescribed and supervised programs. Please contact our office for more information.
Other Basic Information
Eat smart: A Mediterranean-style diet is sometimes a good start. This eating style is low in animal fat and refined carbohydrates, and rich in lightly cooked vegetables, raw fruit, legumes, fish, spices, olive oil, and some lean poultry.
A good general diet for fat reduction has approximately 40 to 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat (mainly “good fats” such as omega-3s), and 20 to 30 percent protein. Don’t be a calorie counter.
Also, for certain genetic types, a diet consisting mainly of lean animal protein and vegetables can be beneficial. In either case, everyone should eat as close to natural as possible. Go back to the original diets of “hunting and gathering,” avoid processed foods, make sure you include a good protein, a complex carbohydrate, and a good fiber source with most meals.
Metabolic typing or nutrigenomic (genetic) testing may be suggested under special circumstances to devise an ideal diet for an individual, but this is rarely needed.
Limit unbuffered sugar intake (i.e. the white crystalline substance or syrup concentrate isolated from sugar cane, beets, and corn, which acts on the body like a drug) Understand that sweet substances, namely high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and chemical sweeteners are being added to food only because we crave them like the dickens, which is precisely the first clue that we should minimize intake.
Avoid soft drinks and chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet and Splenda (which actually contribute to weight gain)
Drink healthy, clean, chemical-free water
Identify food sensitivities that cause water retention and impair metabolism. Requires diagnostic testing ordered by a physician.
We Are Here to Help You!
On behalf of the Natural Balance team, we hope you have found this information helpful and we look forward to working with you.
To learn more about the diet programs and nutrition coaching we offer, call Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center at (734) 929-2696 or book an appointment online.
