By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness
September 09, 2012
- “Fight or flight” hormone adds to belly fat
- Comfort foods may be a problem, but what about this?
- Easy answers to a difficult problem
This is the third of a 4-part series on hormones. This series will give you a deep understanding of hormones and how they affect belly fat.
Yesterday one of my patients walked up to me with a big grin on her face. And without even saying “hello” or “how are you” she grabbed her stomach with both hands, shook it, and blurted out “You forgot belly-jelly!”
That got a big laugh out of me. I immediately knew she had read the last few issues of Advanced Natural Wellness and was adding to my list of alternative names for abdominal fat. Plus, I was pretty impressed when she started reciting my own advice back to me.
But she was chomping at the bit for more information. So I gave her a little hint about today’s issue. I think you’ll be as excited about it as she was.
In a nutshell, I’ve been zeroing in on certain hormones that add belly-fat to your waistline. So far we’ve talked about your hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin) and your fat hormone (insulin.) The link between these hormones and the development of abdominal fat is pretty clear-cut.
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Today I’m going to talk about another hormone that may add to your own “belly-jelly”… and you might be surprised when you find out what it is.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but people seem to gain belly-fat when they’re under stress. A lot of my patients tend to put it off to “mindless eating.” After all, it’s human nature to revert back to comfort foods when life gets out of hand.
But there’s another factor that may be influencing your eating habits and weight gain during stressful times. It’s your stress hormone, cortisol.
In the past you may have heard cortisol described as the “fight-or-flight hormone.” And that’s entirely true. When you’re faced with a stressful situation your adrenal glands flood your body with this hormone. Then, once the stressor has passed, your cortisol levels return to normal.
The real problem occurs when you’re continually tense, stressed out and on edge. And that’s not uncommon today.
Money is tight and jobs are hard to come by. We’re dealing with growing children, ailing parents, deadlines and disagreements. Our lives are filled with things like flat tires and leaky roofs. Death, illness and broken relationships also take their toll.
Altogether, there are thousands of tiny little pressure points that attack you from every angle, every single day of your life.
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Now here’s the thing. This constant release of cortisol increases blood sugar. At the same time it counteracts insulin and causes carbohydrate cravings.
So when you’re stressed and find yourself reaching for those comfort foods, you may not be reaching for comfort at all. Instead, this continued hormone disruption could just be fueling an craving for unhealthy foods.
However, those cravings might just be the beginning of things to come. As it turns out, high levels of cortisol are directly linked to abdominal obesity. Even skinny people experience this phenomenon.
But that’s not all it does. It increases your appetite, cravings and levels of belly fat. And it also causes a loss of muscle mass that leave you looking (and feeling) soft, weak and flabby.
So the big question is, what can you do about it?
Decreasing stress in your life isn’t always the easiest thing to do. More than anything, it requires making time for yourself, in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere.
This means reserving an hour or two each week to take care of your own self. Now, I know this can be hard to schedule in, but here’s what I suggest:
Book a massage, sneak away for a long weekend or just soak in a hot tub on a Friday night.
Do something you find comforting and enjoyable, even if it’s just curling up with a good book and a hot cup of cocoa on the couch. Let the world – and the drama of life – disappear during your “alone time.”
Many of my patients find activities like yoga, meditation and acupuncture can work wonders when it comes to soothing their stress. I especially like programs like yoga and tai chi that support “inner calmness” while providing stress-relieving physical exercises.
Certain supplements can help, too. I suggest a good B-complex formula that has at least 100 mg of B3 and B6, along with 300 mcg of B12.
Getting adequate levels of vitamin C (2,000-4,000 mg. daily) and CoQ10 (100 mg in ubiquinol form) also support adrenal health and reduce your stress load.
These are small steps that can have big results when it comes to reducing stress and busting that stubborn belly fat.
On Friday, we’ll discuss two other hormones that may be expanding your waistline and I’ll show you what you can do to rein them in.
References:
European Society of Endocrinology (2011, May 3). New method to measure cortisol could lead to better understanding of development of common diseases. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 27, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2011/05/110502183715.htm
Epel ES, et al. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosom Med. 2000 Sep-Oct;62(5):623-32
