Sleep Deprived? It may be contributing to belly fat

Written by Erin Chamerlik, Nutrition Educator, MS, MT(ASCP)

Nearly half the U.S. adult population suffers from poor quality sleep at night and one third of all adults are sleeping less than six hours per night. This lack of restful sleep is affecting more than just daily activities.

Sleep drives energy, focus, and sense of well-being and when sleep quality is poor, sixty-seven percent of people also report that their health is poor.

The lack of adequate sleep (about seven to nine hours is needed per night) impacts hormone function and blood sugar metabolism. Hormones drive many aspects of our lives: how we sleep, how we feel, energy levels, mood, drive, muscle tone, and fat.

Shortchange Sleep, Increase Appetite and Cortisol

Even one night of poor sleep results in a cascade of problems the next day.

•   Insulin resistance - impaired ability to use insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is linked to an increased risk of obesity and diabetes.

•   Increased cravings for sugar

•   Increased appetite

Chronic partial sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity and weight gain.

This web of problems also includes an increase in cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. The four biggest causes of belly fat are eating a poor diet with sugar and processed carbohydrates, stress, lack of adequate restful sleep and lack of physical activity.

Three Keys to Help Increase Energy, Improve Sleep and Reduce Belly Fat

Do you battle unwanted belly fat, have listless libido or regularly experience trouble getting a good night's sleep? 

Would you love to sharpen your mind and increase your energy and vitality?

Balance Hormones

If you are over age 25 it is very likely that with each passing year your levels of DHEA hormone are steadily decreasing at the rate of about 2% per year.   As this hormone declines more and more signs of aging appear.

DHEA is a precursor or base building block from which hormone molecules are made by the body. Recent findings show that higher DHEA levels are associated with deeper REM sleep thus allowing sounder sleep at night. 

People with lower levels of DHEA have more belly fat, sleep poorly, and have a higher risk of getting cancer.  DHEA is a base for estrogen, testosterone, and 50 other hormones.

I began using Twist 25 DHEA cream topically several years ago in my early 50s. At that time I had been having a difficult time sleeping, with many nights lying awake for hours.  Two weeks after beginning Twist 25 I slept straight through the night, and that continued to be the pattern. DHEA had kicked in and things were coming into balance. I was waking up refreshed and my energy increased.

Improve Sleep

As hormones are balanced, consider additional ways to improve the quality of sleep. Be sure that the room you sleep in is completely dark. Remove electronics, get room-darkening blinds, and even cover the light from your smoke detector with black tape. If you cannot achieve total darkness, use a sleep mask.

Avoid screens (tv, computer, tablet, phone) an hour before bed. Turn down the lights and read a book or listen to music.

Avoid alcohol, starchy snacks and heavy meals before bed.

Use aromatherapy. Essential oils increase feelings of relaxation. Lavender oil and cedarwood essential oil are favorite calming oils to use at bedtime. Essential oils can be diffused or applied topically.  Apply a drop of oil to the back of the neck, on forehead or on each wrist.

Supplements can help. Take 400mg of the relaxing mineral, magnesium glycinate, at bedtime (or more if needed). Herbs like passion flower can also be beneficial.

Eat Nutrient Dense Foods

A poor diet is stressful to the body. Eat a REAL Food Diet:

Image courtesy of tiramisustudio at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  

   ▪    Focus on nutrient-dense, natural whole foods (vegetables, fruits, wild  caught fish, free range meats and eggs, seeds and nuts).

   ▪    Increase your intake of healthy saturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids from good sources like fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, Grass-fed butter, unrefined coconut oil, Mac Nut Oil, Avocado Oil, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

   ▪    Include high-fiber foods like vegetables, flax seed, chia seeds, berries, avocado, nuts and other seeds.

   ▪    Avoid nutritional deficiencies by complementing a nutrient-dense eating plan with quality supplementation (Vitamin D3, Probiotics, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Magnesium).

   ▪    Drink plenty of water in between meals, but not during the meal as this dilutes much needed stomach acid.

Simply cutting calories and exercising more will not help reduce belly fat that is related to hormonal imbalance, stress, poor sleep and poor diet. Follow the steps outlined above and you will begin to reclaim your health, energy, vitality and zest for life.

References

(1)     Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Role of sleep and sleep loss inhormonal release and metabolism. Endocr Dev. 2010;17:11-21. doi: 10.1159/000262524. Epub 2009 Nov 24. Review. PubMed PMID: 19955752; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3065172.

(2)     Donga E, van Dijk M, van Dijk JG, Biermasz NR, Lammers GJ, van Kralingen KW, Corssmit EP, Romijn JA. A single night of partial sleepdeprivation induces insulin resistance in multiple metabolic pathways inhealthy subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jun;95(6):2963-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2009-2430. Epub 2010 Apr 6. PubMed PMID: 20371664.

(3)     McNeil J, Doucet É, Chaput JP. Inadequate sleep as a contributor to obesity and type2 diabetes. Can J Diabetes. 2013 Apr;37(2):103-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.02.060. Epub 2013 Apr 23. PubMed PMID: 24070800.

(4)    Knutson, Kristen L. Impact of sleep and sleep losson glucose homeostasis and appetite regulation. Sleep Med Clin. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2008 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Sleep Med Clin. 2007 Jun; 2(2): 187–197. doi:  10.1016/j.jsmc.2007.03.004  PMCID: PMC2084401. NIHMSID: NIHMS27337

(5)    Friess E, Trachsel L, Guldner J, Schier T, Steiger A, Holsboer F. DHEAadministration increases rapid eye movement sleep and EEG power in the sigmafrequency range. Am J Physiol. 1995 Jan;268(1 Pt 1):E107-13. PubMed PMID: 7840167.

Erin Chamerlik - GetBetter Wellness

Erin Chamerlik is the founder of Get Better Wellness, Inc., a wellness-focused health and nutrition education company located in the Nashville area. Learn how you can reach optimal health through a whole food eating plan that integrates ancient wisdom with an innovative, science-based approach to health and wellness.

Erin extends her message through weekly podcasts, public workshops, social media (Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest and Instagram) and she blogs at  GetBetterWellness.com

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Fight Stress and Adrenal Fatigue Naturally

Summer is here! Even for folks living in more seasonal climates, the sun is finally shinning down warm and plentiful. So it's time to get out there and make some vitamin D3 that can be lacking during winter. By soaking in the sunshine safely, we also support overall health, stronger bones and a stronger immune system, as well as boosting energy as vitamin D3 is known to do. But is your excitement to enjoy the outdoors still tempered by a lack of energy, feeling washed out and tired?

What is Adrenal Fatigue?
Do you recognize any of these symptoms:  feeling tired but can’t fall asleep at night, feel bloated, , lack drive, feel stressed out, scatter brained, can’t focus, have little interest in sex, gain weight easily? You might be experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Many health professionals including Dr. Christiane Northrup call this condition “adrenal exhaustion”. Some call it “adrenal fatigue”. The condition is caused when the body over produces the stress hormone cortisol on an ongoing basis, and does not produce enough DHEA to counterbalance the negative effects of cortisol.

Especially prevalent in adults between the ages of 35-65, adrenal fatigue can be a chronic condition that gets worse and worse as we get older; and it requires more than just a cup of coffee or an energy drink to fix it. Consider taking Dr. JamesWilson’s Adrenal Fatigue Questionnaire  from his book Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, to recognize the possible presence and degree of adrenal fatigue you may have.

If you want to learn more about adrenal fatigue and the many benefits of using a properly made bioidentical DHEA cream, check out 'The Kat James Show’ radio episode on this topic. Hugh Woodward, President of Health2Go, the source of Twist 25 DHEA Cream, was invited by Kat James, the show host, to share research that’s been done on adrenal fatigue and why a bioidentical DHEA cream called Twist 25 can have “dramatically-transforming head-to-toe rejuvenating effects”.

As always, it is important to see a physician to be sure you’re thyroid and iron levels are O.K., and that nothing else is going on that may need attention. Have your hormone levels checked. Often people discover their DHEA levels are low.

Be Sure to Drink Plenty of Water

About 60% of the human body is water. If you are not drinking enough water, you will probably feel thirsty; but by the time thirst is noticed, which is an obvious sign you need water, there are usually lots of other effects happening like feeling tired or dizzy, foggy thinking, lack of concentration headache, very yellow urine, bad breath, or muscle cramps.  Amy Goodson, a sports dietician, says that “2% dehydration in your body causes a 10% decrease in your athletic performance; and the more dehydrated you get the worse performance gets.”

A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. So, for example, if you weigh 160 lbs. then you need to drink about 80 oz. of water per day. An easy way to tell if you’re drinking enough water is you should drink enough so that your urine is light colored yellow, not dark yellow. If plain water doesn’t appeal to you, remember it’s a much better way to stay hydrated than drinking sodas or fruit juices that are unfortunately usually loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other chemicals.  A better option is to drink coconut water as an alternative. Coconut water is an electrolyte-balancing beverage that has fewer calories, less sodium, and more potassium than a sports drinks. Or you might like to experiment with infusions …

Infusions – A Refreshing and Healthy Recipe for Summer Hydration
Sometimes it’s nice to add a healthy zing of flavor to drinking water. What you can do is add a few slices of lemon, lime, or orange to the water to give it some flavor.  Some other tasty and healthy options are slices of cucumber, apple or celery; or a sprig of mint, cilantro or basil … In short, you can ‘infuse’ water with a single flavor or any combination that turns you on. Feeling adventurous? How about adding some watermelon and kiwi? …or pineapple and basil? What’s your favorite flavor ?

A simple search will turn up myriad recipes, but really all you need is a glass jug, some fresh healthy filtered or bottled water and one or more of the delicious fruit or herbal options listed above. Allow some time for the flavor to get into the water and enjoy the summer freshness that’s good for you.  Stay well hydrated because drinking plenty of water is key for good health! 

From Health2Go, the makers of Twist 25 DHEA cream, we wish you a healthy, happy summer of looking and feeling your best!

Sun-Loving and Safe Skin Health

With summer finally here, it’s hard to resist the sun’s warm invitation to soak up your daily dose of vitamin D3.  It feels good, it looks good and, better yet, it's good for your health too, right? But too much of a good thing, could be harmful with sun exposure being associated with dangerous skin cancers like melanoma.

Sun-Blocking Solutions

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and covering up with UV-protective clothing are wise choices, but what about sunscreens? Recently, sunscreens have taken some heat for containing toxic ingredients that get absorbed into the skin. So while you’re trying to protect from UV-generated free radicals, you may be soaking up radicals of a different kind when you apply sunscreen creams.

You’re probably thinking, “Oh great, if sunscreen is bad, now what do I do to stay safe in the sun?” Well, keep in mind these concerns about sunscreen creams are based on new science, so it is not altogether clear yet whether these sunscreen creams are causing more harm than good. From what we do know now, it does make sense when looking for a good sunscreen to watch out for the ones that use many synthetic chemicals and opt for a more natural mineral-based filter like zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide.

Consider eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables to supply many of the vitamins and minerals your skin needs for optimal health. Vitamin K2 found in foods like egg yolk, cheese and butter, supports bone health, cardiovascular health and the skin. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene, lycopene and vitamins C, E, and A, found in colorful fruits and vegetables, aid in blocking the sun’s UV free radicals that can harm skin cells and lead to sun spots or age spots, and skin cancer.

Get to Know the Skin You’re In

Skin is the body’s largest organ - the dermis. The pro-hormone DHEA has been found to be produced and metabolized in the skin. According to medical research done by Dr. Fernand Labrie, it was found that most hormones in post menopausal women are metabloised from DHEA in the skin. DHEA is also a base for skin oil or “sebum.” The body’s derma layer is constantly regenerating and quite absorbent which means it can take in both nutrients and toxins. Did you know that when you apply DHEA cream to your skin the risk of both chemical and UV carcinogens is reduced? Furthermore, the combination of coconut oil, vitamin E and co-enzyme Q-10 (found in Twist25’s DHEA cream) helps skin look and feel hydrated and helps fade keratoses, also known as “age spots” or “liver spots.”

Vitamin D3 is the Sunshine Vitamin.  It is the only vitamin the body produces in the skin or dermis from exposure to sun light (UVB).  Yet with today’s indoor living, clothing that covers most of our skin surfaces, and the use of sunscreens to reduce the risks of skin cancer, many people are deficient in Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 has many hormone-like functions.  It is an important pro-vitamin helping the body to utilize other nutrients. 

According to MedicalNews Today, “the energy from the sun changes a chemical in the skin to vitamin D3, which is then carried to the liver and the kidneys where it is made into active vitamin D.” But what if practicing sun-loving skin safety means you’re not getting enough? Per Medical News Today, “The Vitamin D Council states that the vitamin is important for muscle function, the respiratory system, cardiovascular function, brain development, and it even has anti-cancer properties.” Additionally, vitamin D3 increases the absorption of calcium–crucial for good bone health, especially as we get older. So if you think you’re not getting enough vitamin D3 from sun exposure, consider a vitamin D3supplement. But remember, sunshine on the skin in moderation is good for you!

Find the Right Skin Care Routine

You may have a regular skin care routine for your face, but consider a whole-body skin care routine. It doesn’t have to be complicated or long. To make it easy, try these four steps:

1.     Cleanse – Use an exfoliating sponge or loofa to wash with a paraben-free gel cleanser.

2.     Moisturize – Consider using coconut oil as a hydrating moisturizer. Read more about the wonders of coconut oil for the skin here.

3.     Protect – Find a mineral-based sunscreen that is right for your skin type.

4.     Supplement – Include Twist 25 DHEA cream,  Vitamin D3 and vitamin ADK capsules in your regime to lessen the appearance of “age spots” and assist in balancing derma layer hormones. To read more, checkout this article about Healthier Skin with DHEA Cream.

Have a safe and healthy summer. Remember, it’s the little things we do each day that all add up to make a big difference!