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Hormonal Brain Pathways and Your Hunger and Fullness Cues

Feeling ravenous even after you’ve just eaten a big meal? Your brain may not be getting the right cues to stave off hunger and regulate your metabolism.

Your hormones work through the same pathway to your brain to control weight and blood sugar. When hormones are out of balance, they aren’t present in the right amounts to send proper hunger and fullness cues to your brain. This can lead to an uncontrollable appetite and strong cravings. Worse, the same hormones that help you feel satiated also govern your metabolism and your body’s blood sugar regulation. Over time, weight loss becomes more difficult because the body compensates by lowering your metabolic rate, which is needed to help you burn calories.

Insulin and Fat Storage

Insulin is the hormone that tells your body to store fat. Eating a diet heavy in sugar and highly processed foods can spike your body’s insulin production. Occasional insulin spikes may not be a big problem, but doing it over and over again can lead to insulin resistance. When the body is insulin resistant, it won’t respond as well to insulin production. As a result, it will produce more insulin, increasing fat storage and putting you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To control insulin, avoid sugary foods and drink green tea.

Leptin Deficiency and Hunger

Leptin is the hormone that makes you feel full. A leptin deficiency can leave you feeling hungry all the time, even when your body doesn’t need any more nourishment. As a result, people with too little leptin will almost always overeat and wonder why they can never stick to a diet or lose weight. Fortunately, you can promote better leptin production by getting at least seven hours of sleep every night.

Cortisol, Stress, and Weight Gain

Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone. It evolved to keep us alive during times when we were in danger of being killed by predators and/or harsh conditions. While this was great in our hunter-gatherer days, it’s not as useful today. Unfortunately, your body cannot tell the difference between the stress of being chased by a mountain lion versus the stress of a big presentation at work. No matter what the cause of your stress, your body will produce cortisol, which will, in turn, result in more fat storage and a larger appetite.

To decrease cortisol production, try yoga, meditation, and plenty of sleep. The more you can work relaxation into your daily life, the lower your cortisol levels will be, and the more easily you’ll lose weight.

Progesterone Impacts Your Appetite and Metabolism

An imbalance in progesterone can result in a significant increase in appetite and slowed metabolic function. If progesterone production is too high, it can act as an appetite accelerator. If it’s too low, though, it can impact thyroid function. And, as your thyroid essentially governs your metabolism and how efficiently you burn calories, that can have a huge impact on your weight loss efforts.

Want to learn more about how you can lose weight naturally by balancing your hormones? Contact us at Youthful MD today!

Hair loss is a major concern for a lot of our patients, and it’s really not surprising. After all, did you know that studies show at least 40% of people in the U.S. will experience hair loss at some point in their lives? Losing your hair can make you feel less attractive and less youthful, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

At Youthful MD, we specialize in finding the root cause of our patients’ symptoms because these issues often stem from other underlying health issues. With hair loss, for example, you might be shedding more hair than normal due to a hormone imbalance or an autoimmune disorder. With the help of functional medicine specialists who care about your overall health, you could slow, stop, or even reverse hair loss symptoms – while improving your overall health.

All that said, there are a few natural remedies that are incredibly effective at preventing hair loss. Check these out!

Here are our top 5 powerful natural remedies for hair loss:

1. Take fish oil daily.

Fish oil is a powerful supplement that boosts overall health and encourages hair growth. Why? Because it’s incredibly rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids increase hair growth by increasing hair stimulation. Take 240-500mg daily, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results. Plus, omega-3s are fantastic for joint lubrication, maintaining higher energy levels, and improving memory. You really can’t go wrong with this natural supplement.

2. Keep yourself hydrated every day.

Hydration is key to health and rejuvenation, and consistently drinking enough water can do wonders for preventing hair loss. But how much water do you need each day? We recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces daily. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be consuming at least 75 ounces of water on a daily basis.

But what does water have to do with hair loss? The hair shaft consists of ¼ water. If you’re dehydrated, your hair will be dryer and more brittle, making it break more easily and increasing the likelihood of hair loss. So you can see how important it is to stay hydrated for healthy hair.

3. Soak your hair in organic green tea.

Soaking your hair in organic green tea helps prevent hair loss by adding caffeine to your scalp. This will stimulate hair growth and help prevent hair loss. So, how do you do it? Just boil two bags of organic green tea in one cup of water. Let the tea cool, and then apply it to your hair to soak. Leave the green tea in your hair for one hour, and then rinse it out with cold water. Repeat this process once a week for healthier, stronger hair and less hair loss.

4. Add more protein to your diet.

Hair follicles are made of 95% protein. So, getting enough protein is essential for hair growth and strength. A protein deficiency could be the cause of thinning hair or excess breakage, but fortunately, the solution is simple. Just add more protein to your diet. A few great sources of protein that can help your hair health are spinach, kale, organic pasture-raised eggs, and organic lean meats.

5. Massage your scalp with alma oil.

Alma oil – also called Indian gooseberry oil – is made from Indian gooseberry fruit and is most effective when massaged into your scalp. This nutrient-dense, vitamin-rich oil will help hydrate and nourish your scalp and hair follicles. If you want stronger, more luxurious hair, add an alma oil scalp massage to your weekly hair routine.

As you try out these natural remedies, please keep in mind that other stressors in your body may also cause hair loss. Remember to reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages and avoid smoking cigarettes, as these things will heavily reduce hair growth. Also, make time every day for 30 minutes of physical activity. This will reduce your stress level and balance your hormones, making your hair growth increase greatly.

Want more information about preventing hair loss? Visit us at youthfulmd.com or contact us at [email protected] or 855-411-2225.