There are other factors that can cause sudden weight gain besides overeating and no physical activity. Hormonal misbalances can also cause severe weight gain to the point of you going obese if it is not checked in time. Hormonal problems in turn are triggered by poor lifestyle, poor diet, stress, post-pregnancy, age, and genetics. Here are 9 types of hormonal imbalances that are most likely to occur in the body and how you can keep them in check.
Located at the base of the neck, the thyroid gland produces hormones called T3 T4 and calcitonin all three of which help in regulating the metabolism of the body. Hypothyroidism is a condition where there is a lack of these hormones that creates the condition for weight gain and even possible obesity. The weight gain is more often due to water retention instead of fat that makes your body look swollen and plumpy.
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Getting your regular table salt (iodized salt) intake is one way to maintain a healthy thyroid but don’t overdo the sodium intake and start consuming unhealthy snacks full of sodium. Avoid raw veggies and make sure your food is well cooked. Make sure you get enough sunshine for your daily dose of vitamin D or take a supplement. Eat more foods rich in zinc such as pumpkin seeds, oysters, garlic and chickpeas.
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Insulin is a very important hormone in our body which if thrown off course can cause conditions of high blood sugar, prediabetes or even diabetes. As you know it is the pancreas that secrets insulin where the hormone is like a key opening up the cells to absorb sugar or glucose from the blood to be used as fuel or stored as fat. Insulin regulates your blood sugar but when you start eating too much of sugary foods, processed foods and unhealthy carbs, the overabundance of sugar in your body may lead to insulin resistance or insufficient insulin.
Insulin resistance makes the cell of your muscles avoid insulin’s impact on them or simply ignoring insulin after which the sugar remains in the blood-stream causing high blood sugar which will again lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
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Introduce more leafy greens into your diet like spinach and kale. Eat seasonal fruits and veggies more often. Healthy fibers like multigrain muesli and oats fight cholesterol, reduce blood sugar and reduce the amount of insulin diabetics need. Drink plenty of water and exercise at least 4 times a work where some part of your workout should be intense. (Although always consult a doctor before any intense workout activity if you are middle age and facing heart problems). Increase omega 3 fatty acids in your diet from fatty salmon, nuts, olive oil, flax seeds, avocados and supplements. Stop drinking alcohol, carbonated drinks and sugary fruit juices. Late night snacking, unhealthy sugary carbs like cakes and pastries are out too.
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Cortisol is considered the stress hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands when a person is anxious, stressed out, depressed, angry, nervous or injured. It is actually responsible for reducing levels of stress by increasing the level of blood sugar so you have got a contradictory situation here which is why stress can lead to high blood sugar. Cortisol in fact, suppresses the immune system and promotes metabolism of the here major nutrition requirements of fats carbs and protein. The problem is that unhealthy or stressful lifestyles can induce a condition of constant stress in a person creating the constant production of cortisol that could be unhealthy for us because of increasing visceral (abdominal) fat and stimulation of fat cells maturity.
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The first thing you need is a good night sleep and nothing less than 7-8 hours should do. Stop all processed fast food, deep fried food, smoking and drinking. Try to get in at least 5 hours of exercise where you should also incorporate yoga, deep breathing or meditation into your lifestyle every day. Try to relax or unwind with family, partners or friends.
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Testosterone is largely considered a male hormone although even females secrete it to some extent. Testosterone is necessary for fat burning and the health of bones and muscles. It also improves libido in males. Stress and aging decreases testosterone ion women resulting in poor bone density, weight gain and poor muscle mass.
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You need to exercise regularly at least 5 times a week which will improve testosterone levels. Avoid all forms of alcohol, eat more protein or protein supplements, and include a lot of fiber in your diet. Pumpkin seeds, whole grains, flaxseed are all good sources of rich fiber.
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In a female’s body, there should be a healthy balance between progesterone and estrogen failing which it can lead to obesity and other problems. Levels of progesterone can reduce because of contraceptive pills, stress, sedentary lifestyle, insulin resistance and menopause.
The level of progesterone and estrogen should be balanced in the body to make it function properly. Progesterone levels can drop due to a variety of reasons like stress, use of contraceptive pills, menopause, etc. This can result in weight gain and depression.
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It can’t be emphasized enough how exercise is important for every condition of hormonal imbalances including low levels of progesterone. Mediation for avoiding and controlling stress is also a good habit to cultivate daily.
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The main sex hormone in females is estrogen but imbalances can also lead to weight gain. The main reasons for increase in estrogen could be an increased production by the body itself and a diet rich in excessive estrogen. High level of estrogen can place stress on the cells producing insulin creating insulin resistance thereby spiking your blood sugar leading to increase in weight. Those facing menopause have low levels of the hormone and thus the body starts to source it from the fat cells. A decrease in estrogen results makes your body convert any possible energy source into fat for producing estrogen which again leads to weight gain.
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Include more whole grains into your diet as well as leafy greens, fresh veggies and fruits. Avoid alcohol and processed meat. Get adequate exercise and rest.
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This is the hormone responsible for regulation of energy by reducing hunger. Consuming a high sugar diet results in excess fructose that is then converted to fat which is stored in the stomach, liver and various pockets of the body. The fat cells then secrete leptin. With more leptin being secreted the body loses its sensitivity to the hormone and then your brain will stop receiving the signal from leptin to stop eating. This causes weight gain.
Decrease high sugar foods from your diet or avoid them completely. Eat just 3 serving of fruit a day and consume more leafy greens and veggies. Stop all processed food and get at least 7-8 hours sleep daily.
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Just opposite of Leptin, ghrelin is secreted in the stomach and is also called the hunger hormone. It increases appetite as well as fat deposits in the body. When you fast or are placed on a diet, your ghrelin levels may increase the response of the body requiring food.
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You need to exercise frequently. Eat small quantities of food every 2-3 hours because large gaps may cause an increase in ghrelin resulting in your wanting to eat too much at a time. Drink 1.5 cups of water at least 20-30 minutes before a meal. Consume more fresh veggies, fruits, and protein-rich foods.
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This is the sleep hormone responsible for regulating your body clock in respect to waking and sleeping. When it is thrown out of gear, you could get insomnia resulting in inflammation and weight gain. This is because when sleeping the body is regenerating itself by releasing growth hormone for healing, improvement of body composition and building of lean muscle.
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Stop late night snacking. Go to bed on time and get adequate sleep. Always keep your room dark and cool as melatonin responds to day and light heralding the time to sleep as it runs dark. Light decreases melatonin production. Turn off all electrical gadgets before you sleep.
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