Tag Archives: hormones

Weight Gain And Hormones – Is There A Connection?

Healthy Me, , ,

A lot of the clients I see at our Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic on Yonge street, Toronto that come in for weight loss are often amazed when they see how much of a connection there is between hormones and weight gain or weight loss. Weight gain can be caused due to various factors which include, and are not limited to:

  • inactivity or inability to exercise.
  • poor eating habits and eating too late in the evenings.
  • inadequate sleep or insomnia.
  • various medications especially anti-depressants and birth control pills.
  • stress and poor stress management.
  • hormonal imbalances especially thyroid and reproductive hormones.
  • menopause and perimenopause.

Majority of the people who have had success with weight loss naturally will tell you how important it is to eat well and have smaller meals through out the day, as opposed to three large meals, and of course exercise. This works well if there are no underlying hormonal abnormalities or imbalances that slow down the metabolic rate such as an under active thyroid. How would you know if you have any thyroid issues or other hormonal imbalances?

Well, usually if you have been trying to loose weight by doing all the right things with diet and exercise, but have had limited success, and tend to gain weight easily, you might want to take a closer look at your hormones. Ask yourself the following questions:

– Do you have a tendency to gain more weight or stay at the same weight, as opposed to building muscle mass or toning up even when you have been working out consistently?

– Do you tend to gain a few pounds when you are close to your menstrual cycle / period?

– Do you tend to gain weight around you abdomen and the trunk of the body much faster than other areas?

– Are you unable to loose weight easily regardless of what you do to loose weight?

– Do you tend to retain a lot of water prior to your menstrual cycle or in general?

If you answered yes to 1 or more of the above questions, it is possible that your weight gain maybe related to your reproductive hormones or thyroid. Talk to your naturopath about testing your hormones, as this may provide more insight into why you are gaining or not loosing weight easily.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic on Yonge / Davisville.

Soy – Should You Or Shouldn’t You Eat It?

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There has been a lot of controversy about soy and its benefits for human consumption, so here are some things to think about:

Soybeans contain high amounts of protein, including all essential amino acids (the only such vegetable source). Soy beans are also a rich source of calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, B-vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and fiber.

Soy has compounds called isoflavones – Diadzein and Genistein, which are phytoestrogens. A phytoestrogen is a natural compound found in plants, including soy beans, legumes and whole grain cereals. Phytoestrogens mimic and supplement the action of the body’s own hormones, estrogen, i.e. it acts like a weak estrogen in the body. Fermentation increases the availability of isoflavones hence fermented soy products like natto, miso; tempeh; soy sauces; fermented tofu and soymilk are more beneficial for women. Phytoestrogens may also have anticancer benefits.

Soy is beneficial for perimenopausal or post menopausal women, who are low on estrogen and have are not on any hormone replacement therapy, however should be used in caution with women who have had high estrogen in the past and have taken birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy or any form of synthetic estrogen, as too much estrogen in the body does increase chances of getting certain reproductive cancers, hence, the lesson here is – soy’s benefit as a phytoestrogen is relative.

Soybeans also contain phytates, organic acids present in the hulls of plant seeds; this binds to iron and calcium in the intestines, rendering these minerals useless for absorption. Hence too much soy with dairy or calcium rich foods with spinach or iron rich foods might not be the best food combination. Consume soy that has been fermented, as this breaks down various inorganic components and activates various enzymes and stops the effect of phytates.

Soybeans also contain potent enzyme-inhibitors. These inhibitors block uptake of trypsin and other enzymes which the body needs for protein digestion. Normal cooking does not de-activate these harmful anti-nutrients, which can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake. Fermentation of soy reduces these “anti -nutrients”.

Soybeans are legumes that are rich in dietary fiber. Soybeans contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soy fiber may have many health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes, as well as improving bowel function.

Many soy foods are naturally high in calcium. In addition, soy also contains magnesium and boron, which are important co-factors of calcium for bone health.

And with the phytoestrogen effect, it is great for protecting the bone density of women in menopause because of the mild estrogenic activity and its rich calcium content.

A very large percentage of soy – over 90% – is genetically modified and it also has one of the highest percentages contamination rates by pesticides of any of the foods we eat. Hence going organic would be the better choice.

A large number of people do not tolerate soy to begin with therefore it might be a good idea to be tested for sensitivities/ intolerance to soy before eating or drinking it or for that matter substituting soy for milk.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.