Causes of Female Weight Gain – Part 2: The Role of Hormones

Posted on October 21, 2011 by pegan

The Role of Hormones in Female Weight Gain

This post is part two of a series of articles about why women gain weight as they age.

Part One: Top Causes of Female Weight Gain

Part Two: The Role of Hormones

Cortisol is a hormone that increases with stress. Cortisol is also a fat storing hormone, so it is no wonder that too much stress/ cortisol can make you fat.

Leptin is a hormone that tells the brain you’ve had enough to eat and also knocks out food cravings. Most women who are overweight are Leptin Resistant. In fact, childhood obesity has been linked to Leptin Resistance. Again, exercise, diet and supplements that contain Irvingia help to reverse Leptin resistance.

Hormones are a very complex issue and I consider myself an expert on this topic since I was hormonally imbalanced for 15 years and was forced to find the answers myself when I could not get help from conventional medicine. At the age of 35, after my fourth child, I weighed 103 pounds. My OB/GYN convinced me to have a bilateral tubal ligation. I literally gained 30 pounds within 3 months and 60 pounds within 6 months. I was aging prematurely, I looked like I was 60 years old, had aches and pains, was depressed cause I was gaining all of this weight, couldn’t sleep at night, had no sex drive, developed hypothryoidism which can also be caused from a hormone imbalance.

I went back to my physician begging for a hormone check and to 4 or 5 other physicians, but was told there was no good way to check hormones and there was no correlation to the tubal ligation. I was getting older and just needed to eat less and exercise more. I was an RN at the time and had not changed my eating or exercise habits but was literally blowing up like a “spaded dog”.

If you will google “Tubal Ligation Syndrome” you will now find that in a high percentage of women, their ovaries fail which leads to estrogen dominance which leads to weight gain, fibrocystic breast, ovarian cyst, fibroids, etc. which ultimately leads to a hysterectomy. In fact, by the age of 49, I had all of these things which required a complete hysterectomy. I was then handed a box of Premarin which I did not take but knew I had to get some answers to this hormone traversty. After taking some courses with “Pharmacy Compounding Centers of America”, I was led to and completed a Fellowship with the American Academy of Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine. This Fellowship literally saved my life. I actually look younger at the age of 55 then I did at 35 and have lost all the weight that I had gained back then.

Hormones have gotten a bad rap by the media since the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was completed in 2002. The WHI was done on synthetic hormones Premarin (horse urine) and Prempro (horse urine and progestin-synthetic progesterone) Many physicians in America still think that these chemicals are hormones. They are not!

In actuality, it is hormones that keep women young. Just look at the commercials on TV right now regarding low testosterone levels in men. When hormones are perfectly balanced, it is much easier to lose weight and keep the cells young and healthy. So the men are going to be on the “anti-aging train” while the women are aging prematurely. How fair is that??

Top Causes of Female Weight Gain – Part 1

Posted on October 21, 2011 by pegan

Female Weight Gain: Why Women Gain Weight as They Age

Nurse Practitioner Pamela Egan discusses the top reasons women tend to see their weight increase along with age.

Dear Pam, What Are the Top Reasons Women Gain Weight as We Age?

Weight gain as women age is a multi-factorial process. As women age, we develop several metabolic imbalances such as a slow metabolism, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, hormone imbalances, thyroid disease, etc. For example, several factors influence our metabolism such as exercise both aerobic and weight bearing. Many women develop sedentary habits which leads to muscle loss hence a slowed metabolism.

Most women have to cut way down on carbohydrate and sugar intake as they approach peri-menopause and menopause. I explain to my patients to look at it like its an allergy. They have become allergic to carbs and sugars. If they keep eating these foods, they will need more and more insulin to push the glucose into the muscle. Insulin is a fat storing hormone, so the higher the insulin level the more fat will be stored. As a Certified Diabetes Educator, I offer several low carb diets that help to reverse insulin resistance in my clinic. (Ideal Protein & Prescript Fit).

Many women go through life iron deficient. We routinely check ferritin levels which optimally should be 60 – 100. When a woman is low in iron she craves pica. In the old days iron deficient women would eat mud and starch that you starch your clothes with. Today, we are surrounded by carbohydrates. So we grab bread or a cookie. Once iron levels are restored to normal levels, women very often find that those cravings go away.

Food allergies are also huge factor in female weight gain. Many women have wheat allergies or celiac disease and don’t know it. Once recognized, and those offending foods avoided, the excess weight melts off.

Gut health is also an important factor that can affect weight gain or loss. Balancing the gut and restoring good bacterial flora naturally increases metabolism and help eliminate toxins. One way to help go about this is to take a high-quality probiotics supplement.

If a woman is balanced hormonally but is still not losing weight, a GI Detox followed by a Liver Detox is recommended.

Inflammation is at the root of all disease and can also be a factor in failure to lose weight. We strive to eliminate inflammation in the body which is why high quality antioxidants are included in our daily Essential Nutrition Pack.

Zinc Supplements Help Curb Infant Diarrhea in Developing Countries

Posted on July 17, 2011 by pegan

Mothers in Developing Nations Should Take Zinc Supplements Throughout Pregnancy

By: Pamela Egan, NP-C, CDE, ABAAHP
July 17, 2011

In the developing world, childhood diarrhea is a serious problem with often fatal consequences. Many throughout the western world would be surprised to learn that in 2009, the World Health Organization estimated that childhood and infant diarrhea kills over 1.5 infants and toddlers each year worldwide.

The good news is that there is hope on the horizon. A recent study has shown that of all things the mineral zinc can help to reduce and prevent instances of infant diarrhea in the developing world. The occurrence of diarrhea in newborn babies and infants may be dramatically reduced when mothers take zinc supplements throughout the course of their pregnancy, according to a new study spearheaded by Dr. Laura E. Caulfield, of the Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

The study took place in Lima, Peru, and involved 421 pregnant women, 214 of whom took sinc supplements during pregnancy and 207 of whom took a placebo. The former group took supplements consisting of 15 mg of zinc, as well as folic acid and iron supplements. The 207 women in the control group took only folic acid and iron supplents, to go along with a similar-looking placebo in place of the zinc supplement.

Infant and childhood diarrhea is a severe and often fatal problem throughout much of the developing world, including countries such as Peru, which is where the study’s efforts were concentrated. A lack of readily available clean water is often a leading cause of the bacterial infections that cause severe diarrhea.

Zinc Deficiency Rampant Throughout the Developing World

Zinc deficiency is also a common health problem throughout the developing world. This often compounds the problem as it related to childhood and infant diarrhea.

The mineral zinc is widely renowned for bolstering human immunodefence systems, and consequently helping to stave off disease and illness. Zinc deficiency dramatically increases the risk of death from diarrhea-related illnesses, as well as a number of other health maladies plaguing the developing world, including pneumonia, malaria and a myriad of other diseases of various natures.

The World Health Organization has now issued a doctrine recommending zinc supplementation in conjunction with rehydration therapy as a means of treating acute diarrhea, as past studies have indicated that zinc therapy can help one get over severe bouts of acute diarrhea more quickly when supplementing with zinc.

It is recommended by this author that those taking zinc supplements do so after eating, as taking zinc on an empty stomach can quickly lead to an upset stomach and ptentially even vomiting.

The study was initially published in the The Journal of Pediatrics in March of 2010.

Meningitis is Contagious, Can Be Deadly

Posted on June 19, 2011 by pegan

Meningitis is the infection and inflammation of the membranes (also known as meninges) and fluids (cerebrospinal fluid) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The most common causes of meningitis are bacteria and viruses, and the victims of the infection are typically children under the age of five. Bacterial meningitis is typically more severe in nature than the viral variety.

The early symptoms of meningitis are often mistaken for those of influenza (the flu). Thus, people experiencing severe symptoms similar to those of the flu should consider seeking medical attention, particularly if the person is a child younger than five years of age, in which case the child’s parents should bring him or her to a doctor to be examined.

Anyone experiencing the following symptoms should seek immediate medical care:

A high fever resulting in the loss of appetite
Severe, intense and/or worsening headaches
Frequent vomiting
Confusion and/or disorientation
Seizures
Lethargy/Fatigue/Drowsiness
Stiff Neck
Skin rash (particularly near the armpits, on the hands or on the feet)
Sensitivity to light
Small subepidermal hemorrhages
Shock, coma or convulsions

Some types of meningitis are contagious. A person can be exposed to the bacteria when someone with meningitis coughs or sneezes. The bacteria can also spread through kissing, the sharing of utensils, cigarettes, etc. Living or working in the immediate vicinity of someone with the disease may also pose a significant risk of contacting the disease.

Meningitis strikes suddenly, usually accompanied by a high fever, severe headache and vomiting. As the disease progresses, the brain swells and may begin to bleed. The disease is potentially lethal, resulting in fatalities in about one in every ten cases.

Many of those who survive meningitis may have serious long-term neurological complications such as vision and/or hearing loss, brain damage and loss of the ability to speak.

The disease occurs most frequently in young children under the age of five, young adults ages 18-24 and senior citizens. The predominant theory is that this is largely due to the congregation tendencies of those individuals.

College students living in dormitories, personnel on military bases, boarding schools and daycare centers are all at an increased risk of meningococcal meningitis, largely because infectious diseases tend to spread quickly when large groups of people congregate.

There have been studies suggesting that smoking and drinking alcohol may increase one’s risk of meningitis. The theory at play here is that those activities may suppress a person’s immune system, thereby making him or her more susceptible to the disease.

The definitive diagnosis of meningitis is usually made by way of analysis of a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is extracted through a procedure known as a spinal tap (lumbar puncture).

Acute bacterial meningitis requires immediate treatment with intravenous antibiotics which help ensure recovery and reduce the risk of complications. The antibiotic or combination thereof used depends upon the type of bacteria causing the meningitis. Corticosteroids are often administered to help prevent hearing loss — one of the most common long-term complications of the disease.

Mild cases of viral meningitis are are usually treated with bed rest, plenty of fluids and sometimes analgesics to help reduce fever and body aches.
If the herpes virus causes the meningitis, antiviral medication may also be prescribed.

Reducing risk factors for meningitis starts with avoiding exposure to unnecessary upper respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Something as simple as careful handwashing is among the best ways to stave off infection and thereby reduce the risk of meningitis.

Parents should teach their children to wash their hands often and thoroughly. Getting enough rest, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet are all ways to boost the immune system, which in turn helps to prevent diseases like meningitis.

Vaccines are now available for hemophilus influenza and pneumococcal meningitis, and can be administered starting at around two months of age. Another vaccine exists that offers some degree of protection against meningococcal meningitis.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College Health Association recommend the vaccine for college students.

Children Becoming Obese at a Younger Age

Posted on May 30, 2011 by pegan

Childhood Obesity is on the up-and-up, and children are becoming obese at a younger and younger age, this according to a study published in BMJ. A large group of children were observed for a ten year period. The results were an increase in both weight and BMI (Body Mass Index) in children ages one month to four years. Interestingly, no corresponding upward trend in the height of the children was observed during the study.

So what is Body Mass Index?

BMI is a relatively quick, inexpensive and fairly accurate method to calculate health risk as it relates to height and weight. A lengthy calculation is used, but now days there are charts and even websites that allow you to enter your height and weight to obtain an immediate result.

For adults between 19 and 70 years of age, a BMI of anywhere from 19 to 24.9 is considered a health weight. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, 30 to 39.9 is considered obese and over 40 is very obese. A BMI of less than 19 is considered unsafe and may represent malnourishment.

Although BMI was used in the study, for many years after its conception it was not commonplace for clinicians to calculate BMI on children and teens 19 years of age and under. That said, height and weight are measured at each and every medical check-up.

The study referenced above involved 43,000 children from England. The scientists recorded height and weight of infants ages 28 days to 90 days, and toddlers ages 35 months to four years. After calculating the latter group’s BMI, investigators applied the term “overweight” to those with a BMI above the 85th, and “obese” to those above the 95th percentile.

The proportion of overweight children increased substantially during the ten year period, from 14.7% to 23.6%. The percentage of obese children rose from 5.4% to 9.2%.

The infants did experience a slight increase in weight, however there was no increase in the number of infants whose weight exceeded the 85th and 95th percentile.

The investigators concluded that excessive weight gain in children occurred between infancy and preschool age, and that obesity prevention efforts should begin prior to preschool.

Weight Gain Could Persist Into Adulthood

William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that these increases in weight are likely to persist into adulthood. He expressed concern that Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise among children and adolescents, and that obesity increases their risk for cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Dietz called for a return to family mealtimes, promoting breastfeeding, encouraging physical play and discouraging sugary foods as a solution.
Intervention is necessary to thwart the rise in childhood overweight and obesity rates, which are now rising even among preschoolers.

Techniques for Coping with Stress and Anxiety

Posted on May 26, 2011 by pegan

Do the palms of your hands get sweaty when you have to confront a problem at work? Does your heart beat fast before you give a speech? Do you get a headache after you’ve had an argument with a family member?

The feelings of stress and anxiety come from your body’s response to what it sees as a threat to survival, triggering the emotion of anger or fear. You may still be stressed without having any of these noticeable signs. However, your body knows, and it may provide other hints that stress is present, such as back pain or feeling tired and fatigued.

For people with diabetes, stress can cause glucose levels to rise. This is because glucose is an important source of energy, and the body produces it during situations that require a person to take action, whether it’s to fight an infection or run from an attacking lion.

Emotions are very important. Some are old survival instincts from deep within the brain. These include fear and anger. Some are chemical responses such as happiness and disgust. All are important responses designed to help us survive within and adapt to our environment. That said, a completely separate part of the brain helps us to interpret what our emotions are trying to tell us. Scientists believe that the more connections that exists linking these two parts of the brain, the better one is at dealing with life situations.

On the other hand, too much emotion can make it difficult to think. Some people become completely immobilized during intense periods of emotional response. Others refuse to accept the reality of the problems they face, instead opting to go into denial. Denial may help to protect against becoming overwhelmed by a difficult situation. However, if left unchecked, denial can interfere with a healthy lifestyle.

Some people take longer than others to calm down following an intense emotional response to a given set of circumstances. However, the ability to calm oneself down in the face of adversity is probably the best way to deal with strong emotions.

Here are a few suggestions to help calm down during intense situations:

Quiet Time – Schedule quiet time alone each and every day: Examples include a warm bath, listening to music, meditation, yoga, exercise and relaxing hobbies).
Deep breathing exercises – Think about breathing and nothing else for five to ten minutes.
Laughter – Watch a funny movie or TV show. Laughter relaxes you and can even help strengthen the immune system.
Talking – Try talking about what’s bothering you. If talking is too difficult, try writing it down.
Spirituality – For those who participate in a form of worship, this can be a great technique to help calm oneself down during tense situations.
Pets – Spending quality time with pets can be very therapeutic, and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

If you suffer from uncontrollable anxiety or if you have frequent panic attacks, see your healthcare provider. There are medications that can help, and your doctor or nurse practitioner may recommend counseling, which can also be effective.

Take full advantage of your healthcare provider(s), your family and your friends. In the process of helping yourself, you may learn that the key to reducing anxiety is to take the focus off of yourself and to give of yourself to others.

Related Articles: Too Much Stress is Bad for Your Health

An Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorney Is Necessary During Times of Crisis

Posted on May 19, 2011 by pegan

Guest Post By Michael Ehline, Esq.

There is no doubt about it, an experienced bicycle accident attorney is necessary during times of crisis for the residents of San Diego that fall victim to tragic bicycle accidents involving a negligent motor vehicle operator. They give cases like this their undivided attention, making certain the legal course of action taken is in the best interest of the victim.

Accidents like this are often caused when a driver is speeding, or they are simply not paying an adequate amount of attention to the roadways they are driving on. Every single year the result of this kind of negligence is a bicycle accident that has caused a victim to suffer from a wide range of serious and painful injuries.

The average car that families drive in the United States is on an average around 4,000 pounds. When you consider the force that is behind an automobile that weighs this much, it is easy to see why victims often end up suffering from many types of very serious injuries. This is of course if they don’t end up losing their life as a result of the injuries they suffer. When victims of traumatic bicycle accidents survive, the high cost of needed medical care and treatment can be extremely difficult to pay for because of the extensive amount of care and treatment that’s usually needed.

It is not uncommon for victims of accidents like these to suffer from spinal cord injuries, neck and back injuries that typically involve bulging and/or ruptured discs TBI or traumatic brain injury, fractures and broken bones, concussion, and numerous other injuries that can be very expensive to treat. This is because in a majority of cases the victim will need to take a variety of costly prescription medicines, and they often need to undergo such things as extensive physical therapy, counseling, and rehabilitation. Special medical equipment, professional home health care, the care of a nursing home facility, and quite a few other added expenses can also be required.

Because of the hardship this type of unexpected expense can put on victims and their families, experienced bicycle accident attorneys of San Diego is extremely necessary during times of crisis such as this. The professional skill and experience of a bicycle accident attorney having years of experience in handling cases like this can usually help to take much of the financial stress away, by making certain they obtain compensation of the highest levels. If you were injured, contact a personal injury lawyer now at 213.596.9642 at Ehline Law Firm PC. 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071.

Hip Fractures in the Elderly Can Be Prevented

Posted on May 11, 2011 by pegan

By: Pamela Egan, NP

A broken hip or a hip fracture is a very common injury, especially in older adults and in the elderly. Broken hips are the most common bone fracture that requires hospitalization. Hospitalizations for broken hips are rising each year to the tune of about 300,000.

Falls are the most common cause of hip fractures in the elderly. High-force injuries such as motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of hip fractures in younger patients who typically have stronger bones. Pathologic fractures such as weakened bones from infection or cancer can also be a cause of hip fractures.

Usually, osteoporosis is the cause of hip fractures in the elderly. Osteoporosis is a condition that causes loss of bone mass. The bones are thinner and weaker than normal. Adults with osteoporosis are at much higher risk of developing a hip fracture than someone without osteoporosis. The risk of osteoporosis is on the rise possibly due to an overall decrease in hormone replacement therapy and low vitamin D levels. Other risk factors associated with hip fracture are females, Caucasians, and sedentary lifestyle.

There are two types of hip fractures. A femoral neck fracture occurs when the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint is fractured off the femur. Treatment of a femoral neck fracture depends on the age of the patient and the amount of displacement of the fracture.

Interotrochanteric hip fracture occurs just below the femoral neck. These fractures are easier to repair more often than femoral neck fractures. The usual surgical treatment involves placement of a plate and screws to stabilize the fracture.

Treatment of a hip fracture almost always requires surgery. Some surgeons are using a newer implant that uses a rod inserted down the center of the bone rather than a plate along the outside of the bone. Both types of fracture fixation (the plate and the rod) have shown good healing and have had excellent results.

Physical therapy is usually started immediately and patients can usually walk with their full weight on the implant. Patients are usually encouraged to begin walking immediately following surgery. Most commonly, patients will get up with the physical therapist the next day following surgery. It usually takes a year for full recovery.

Complications often occur in patients who suffer broken hips. By getting patient up and out of bed as soon as possible, the risk of complications is reduced. Mortality rates in the first year following a broken hip are around 25%, and the rates are highest in older populations. The cause of death following a hip fracture is often due to blood clots, pneumonia, or infection. Furthermore, only about 25% of patients who sustain a broken hip return to their pre-injury level of activity. About one year after a patient sustains a broken hip, mortality rates return to normal, but a patient who previously sustained a hip fracture is at higher risk of breaking their hip again.

Treatments for osteoporosis are available, and will help elderly individuals avoid serious complications of this disease such as a broken hip.

An assortment of products are available through medical equipment stores that can help to reduce the risk of the slips and falls that lead to hip fractures. Mobility devices such as medical walkers, rollators, canes and power scooters can help to provide ambulatory assistance to elderly individuals, as well as to those with limited strength or mobility.

Bathroom safety devices can also help to reduce the risk of injury in one of the most dangerous areas of the home for susceptible individuals. Among the most effective of these items are grab bars. Grab bars (also known as safety rails) can be mounted against a wall, inside the shower and on the wall of the bathtub. They provide a gripping surface to help individuals maintain balance and avoid falling down (and ostensibly breaking a hip). Shower chairs provide a seating surface for inside the tub, thereby eliminating the need to stand. This in turn dramatically reduces the risk of slipping while in the shower. Raised toilet seats reduce the amount of bending over necessary for one to assume a seat on the toilet. Finally, non-slip bath mats add traction to the floor of the tub or shower, making it less slippery and subsequently less dangerous.

Lastly, nutrition plays an important role in preventing both osteoporosis and hip fractures. By making a point of getting good nutrition, the risk of osteoporosis and weak bones in general is reduced significantly. The elderly should almost without exception see to it that they are ingesting sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D3, either through diet or supplements. Since estimating the amount of these nutrients in one’s diet can be so difficult, I receommed going the supplement route just to be sure.

It is important when buying supplements to insist on vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) as opposed to supplements containing ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). D3 is more readily absorbed by the body, and is a far more effective form of the nutrient in terms of boosting the immune system, preventing disease and improving bone density.