Can Stress Make You Fat?
- Brainz Magazine
- Mar 28, 2023
- 3 min read
Written by: Lyn-Genet Recitas, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
It is not your imagination. Yes, you are gaining weight despite eating what works for you and yes, you can blame stress for your expanding waistline. But the effects of stress don’t end there. Feel like you’re running on fumes? That’s stress. Depressed, raging hormones, snapping at coworkers and your kids? That’s stress too. Worse – premature aging and chronic illness are all by-products of the S word. A never-ending list of to-do’s, job pressuíres, family stressors, and exercising too intensely are some of the reasons why we feel like there’s never enough time and are 10 steps behind.
Why does stress affect us so much? And more importantly, what can you do about it? Stress, in and of itself, is not necessarily bad. The issue with stress is when it doesn’t go away and becomes chronic. When the periods of stress are too high, and you don’t have enough of a relaxation response your body goes haywire.
In my practice, I always look at thyroid hormones and two hormones that I like to call your “base hormones” DHEA and pregnenolone. Low levels of DHEA and Pregnenolone are signs that youí adrenal system is under great stress.
Pregnenolone is produced in our adrenals and is the base hormone from which nearly all other steroid hormones are made, including cortisol, DHEA, progesteíone, testosterone, and estrogen.
When someone deals with chronic stress on a regular basis more of the pregnenolone is used to feed the production of cortisol. As Cortisol levels rise, it reduces the production of DHEA, which is known as the fountain of youth. Ok, now this is starting to sound bad, right? Dhea is used to make all of your sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone and it is critical for fat burning and lean muscle mass as well as immune system balance.
Ideally, when the stress is gone, pregnenolone, cortisol and DHEA levels should go back to normal. But if your body remains in crisis mode, your body will get to the point where even cortisol levels will drop because your other hormones have become so depleted. This is known as adrenal burnout.
Adrenal dysfunction can also cause autoimmune issues to flare because stress weakens and dysregulates digestion. The most common side effect of chronic stress is the development of a leaky gut type syndrome where large proteins and antigens pass through the intestinal barrier. These proteins and antigens trigger an immune response which is strongly implicated in triggering auto-immune disorders as a result.
This also means that the food sensitivities you have will heighten and you will start to put on more weight in reaction to these reactive foods. More and more foods become inflammatory over time which results in an inability to lose weight. This syndrome also causes digestive disorders like IBS, chronic constipation and Crohn’s disease. These effects on digestion all heighten the levels of chronic inflammation which also means premature aging and heightened risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
How do you know if you aíe having adrenal issues? Simple bloodwoík can help you determine your stress levels and you can have a diet and supplement regimen to restore you back to optimal weight, health and mood. To book a consultation, you can email Info@LynGenet.com.
Lyn-Genet Recitas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lyn-Genet Recitas, Sports Nutritionist, HHP NMT, is the NY Times and International Bestselling author of The Plan and The Metabolism Plan a groundbreaking anti-inflammatory nutritional protocol which has been published in over 15 countries. She’s been featured on Dr. Oz, Huffington Post, CBS, NBC, Fox News, Women’s Running, Fitness, Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, and Prevention. Lyn-Genet and her staff of doctors and nutritionists have helped hundreds of thousands of men and women reach their best health by finding their chemical responses to food, not counting calories. The Plan is an effective way to lose weight, improve health and reverse the aging process.
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