Ever wonder why you gain weight when you are stressed out? We usually blame the poor diet for weight gain that we are eating when we are stressed out. Or maybe that extra glass of wine.
There is no doubt that when we are stressed out especially chronically, our diet takes a hit and we head towards the cookie aisle in the grocery store. Or, for some, we start skipping meals and eating salty, high fat snack foods. And, course we don’t take time out for ourselves to exercise or to just take a nice relaxing bath.
But does that really explain that extra 30 pounds, that hair loss, and our nails starting to become brittle? And, of course, loss of energy and vitality. All signs that our hormones are out of balance.
How does chronic stress alter our hormone balance?
Over time chronic stress will impact the health of our hormone balance including our thyroid hormone by leading to high levels of cortisol.
Eventually, high levels of cortisol lead to a loss of production of other vital hormones like progesterone, and eventually, this can lead to an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone. When this occurs, we get symptoms like PMS and for post-menopausal women, hot flashes, weight gain, and fatigue.
Many other hormones are affected by chronic stress.
Over time, the many hormones of our body are affected including thyroid hormones, pituitary hormones, and those hormones that tell us we are full like, leptin. And, this can affect our gut health too leading to more hormonal imbalances.
One of the first steps to reducing chronic stress’s impact is found out just how much chronic stress has impacted your hormonal balance. Now offering one of the most comprehensive testings for hormone levels including cortisol. This testing also incorporates genomics giving you truly personalized nutrition and lifestyle plan based on your test results.
Eileen Schutte, MS, CN, FMN – One of my biggest passions is to help clients overcome food intolerances like histamine intolerance and sensitivities so that they can enjoy food again. My other passion is nutrigenomics, speaking to your genes through nutrition with focus on digestive health, autoimmune conditions, and skin health. I hold a master's degree in functional nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut graduating Summa Cum Laude. After completing my masters I went on to get my certification in Functional Medicine Nutrition, and am a Certified LEAP Therapist (food sensitivities program). In addition, I am pursuing advanced education in Nutrigenomics through the American College of Nutrition.
