While the general rates for worldwide obesity continue to gain momentum daily, modern research is beginning to unravel the truth behind the growing waistline epidemic. If you have struggled with persistent weight gain, you have probably experienced fad diets, problems with overeating, constant calorie obsessing, metabolic mismanagement, and portion size restrictions. And because you have seen no immediate results, you have either given up or forgotten that help might possibly exist. But have no fear; according to recent discoveries regarding pollution, gut bacteria, and sleep deprivation, researchers now believe certain lifestyle factors play a prominent role in the condition of your health.
Obesity, believe it or not, can be attributed to two important bodily hunger hormones. Leptin, which suppresses hunger, and ghrelin, which mediates the desire for food, work together in harmony to balance energy levels, maintain appetite, and establish a healthy body weight. However, certain agents such as bisphenol A (chemicals in plastic), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (byproducts of diesel exhaust, cigarettes, and burnt foods), sleep dysfunction, and chronic antibiotic use can all disrupt natural endocrine production.
In addition to chemical hormone sensitivities, the room temperature in which you choose to inhabit can help burn fat. Colder temperatures, which can activate brown adipose tissue, can cause the body to consume more calories. In order to stay warm, the body releases stored fat. Also, if you have been on a cycle of antibiotics, however unimportant it may seem, make sure you choose a reputable probiotic to help recondition gut homeostasis, immune system function, and intestinal absorption.
Despite of what the research says concerning leptin and ghrelin, increased sensitivity to hunger hormones cannot fully explain the overall increase in obesity. So who’s to blame? For starters, it’s important to review your current diet, daily stressors, environmental living conditions, rate of medication use, and activity levels. For most, a sugar-free, organic, minimally processed, low carbohydrate diet will increase energy levels, re-balance cortisol (often referred to as the stress hormone), and establish healthy eating patterns. While how an individual loses weight depends on what foods end up on their plate, other overlooked lifestyle triggers could spell certain health success.
