Prepare Now For the New Year's Resolution to Lose Weight

Hormonal imbalance is tied to more than just hot flashes, night sweats, and the other tsunami of symptoms that come with aging.   Did you know that weight problems are very much associated with hormonal imbalance as well?  Today, I'll share just a few things that you might want to get checked out before you make that New Years Resolution.  Why set yourself up for failure, when you could start now on the road to success, once and for all.  If I were wanting to lose weight, I would have these things evaluated so that I could be completely ready to put my feet in the starting blocks come January 1st.

Sex hormones:  Estradiol, Progesterone, and Testosterone

Too much estrogen and you will tend to pack the Holiday turkey and dressing on the side of your hips and in your butt.   Also, normal estrogen, but too little progesterone, and the fat distribution elves will send the fruit cake to the wrong storage areas of the body.  Ya know, the places you don't want them to be, right?  It's the same for men too.  Guys, I'm not letting you off the hook.  In overweight men, testosterone levels drop and estrogen levels rise leading to, you guessed it, weight gain in the hips, thighs, and even breasts.  Progesterone can help balance that estrogen, but also provides support to the thyroid in helping to eliminate fats, and rid the body of excess fluid.  Low Testosterone is associated with decreased lean muscle, low metabolic rate, and belly fat.  Not only that, but men and women who have low T usually aren't the first to sign up for exercise or strength training because of lost vitality and stamina.  On the other side of the spectrum are those with high testosterone.  This group of people tends to have insulin resistance and weight gain in the belly as well.  Do you see why it's important to know your hormone levels?

Adrenal Hormones:  Cortisol and DHEA
Imbalances of these two hormones can cause poor blood sugar control, poor sleep, increased appetite, food cravings, and poor exercise tolerance.  If you are super stressed, your cortisol levels will skyrocket causing fat to be sent to areas around your internal organs (visceral fat) and to your hiney. Not good!  If your adrenals are exhausted from juggling too much for too long, then you will feel it.  Exhaustion, fatigue, achy joints, poor immunity, and pitiful endurance usually are associated with low cortisol.

Vitamin D (D2,D3):
Those who are overweight tend to have low vitamin D levels.  I personally take a vitamin D supplement daily because I just don't get enough sunlight and because it has such great benefits to the body.  I'm trapped in an office like nearly everyone else in America and a boost of vitamin D is a part of my daily 'healthcare' regimen.

Insulin: If your insulin is high, and consistently high, then other problems can arise.  (i.e. polycystic ovaries, type 2 diabetes, belly fat, increased inflammation throughout the body,  increased heart disease risks, thyroid gland problems, ovulation problems, etc.)

HgA1c:  This important blood test value indicates what your blood sugar has been running over the previous 3 months.  If the number is above 6%, it can be predictive of diabetes and heart disease risk. Often, correlating a high insulin with a high Hemoglobin A1c show signs of problems in the future.  It's worth knowing and addressing.

Thyroid:  A high TSH and a low T3 and T4 will likely contribute to sluggish metabolism, weight gain, and fatigue.  I will interject here that transdermal (through skin) hormone therapy is better than oral therapy because oral estrogens can reduce thyroid hormone bioavailability.  When asked what form of hormone therapy I recommend in patients, I will probably say transdermal >90% of the time and this is one reason why.

So, what do you do with all of this information?  Well, I have an all-in-one/DIY kit that can be shipped to you.  Just call  and we'll get one in the mail ($20 kit/packet fee).  This is a great value because 12 different profile parameters can be tested right from your very own home (cost $295 to lab for analysis of sample).  That's a great discount off of the testing for each individual lab parameter (normally $45 each).  If there's diabetes, thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, female/menstrual problems, weight gain, or anything else, then this is the test to do.  Your health is your wealth so invest in yourself, starting today!  

Creative Medicine for Your Individual Needs!  That's what I'm all about.  Get tested! Get treated!

To your good health,
Dr. Sonja