Hormones in Harmony

Living abundant joy through bio-psycho-spiritual balancing

Name:
Location: Ojai, California, United States

Welcome to Hormones in Harmony where I shall share pearls of wisdom gathered over two decades of consulting with the hormonally challenged. As a holistic nurse practitioner specializing in neuro-immune-endocrinology, I have merged my western education with eastern philosophies, but the key to being a successful healer is to embody physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. At 54, married for 32 years with two grown children, I strive to keep my Hormones in Harmony with a positive attitude, a loving environment, and faithful consumption of Genesis Gold.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Best Diet & Exercise for Healthy Hormones



Ever wonder what's the best diet/exercise/lifestyle regime for healthy hormones? Well, so did this woman...

Q: I have been taking Genesis Gold and Sacred Seven for a little over two months now, and I am amazed at the changes I have been experiencing. I sleep better, have more energy during the day, my mood has become more positive, my hair and skin are soft and radiant, and my libido has been improved. I am hopeful that my hormone levels will improve, I will be able to lose weight, and my fertility will increase. Just have to give it more time.

I am not only writing to tell you thanks for the wonderful products, but to ask a question, too. I am wondering if you could give me a few pointers on a healthy diet/lifestyle? There are so many fad diets out there, and each claim to be the best. Some claim carbs are good, some claim carbs are bad. Same goes with fat. I know that it isn't always black and white like that, some carbs/fats are better than others. But all the information I see and hear contradicts each other. I really want to lose weight and keep my heart healthy, but my medical issues make it very challenging. I am hoping that now that I take your wonderful supplements I may have some success. I would very much appreciate your input on what your idea of a healthy diet is. Thank you so much.


A: I am so happy you are experiencing such wonderful effects from Genesis Gold and Sacred Seven. Overtime your hormone levels will improve. The first changes are described as enhanced well being...before the laboratory tests confirm the biochemical shifts. 

It does take time for the hypothalamus to come into balance as your body heals...reproductive hormones are the last to balance... Reversal of insulin resistance, along with adrenal and thyroid regulation comes first as the hypothalamic-pituitary axis corrects. The fact that your mood is more positive suggests increased endorphins which is a byproduct of proopiomelanocortin--the hypothalamic hormone that controls glucose metabolism, adrenal and thyroid function as well as endorphins.

The good news is that your body is readjusting to a healthier state which includes a healthier weight set point. 

Of course exercise is key in increasing metabolism.  Your exercise tolerance and endurance should increase as your hypothalamus balances. In order to burn fat, you must do long slow distances....meaning exercising at a lower heart rate >60% of your max over 50 minutes to mobilize fat stores. That's because you have 400 calories of glycogen stored in your muscle and liver that must be utilized before your body will burn the triple sugars (triglycerides) stored in your fat cells.

Now for the perfect weight loss diet!

Well, there is not One Diet for Every Body... One great thing about optimizing your genetic expression with Genesis Gold is that you will "know" exactly what your body needs. In the meantime, I recommend the Mediterranean Diet.

Not just because I'm Italian (Maragopoulos is Greek), but because the Mediterranean Diet has been shown in studies to be the healthiest for the majority of people. It's plant based, low glycemic, and uses moderate amounts of good fats and has adequate protein. That combination is best for hormone production. Moderate amounts of good fats promotes healthy hormone levels....low fat does not. Plus animal based proteins provide the necessary essential amino acids for hormone production and healthy brain chemistry as well as immune factors. All very important for proper hypothalamic functioning. 

Low fat diets with poor quality proteins are a recipe for hormonal dysfunction leading to hypothalamic-pituitary imbalance.

The secret is to eat less carb calories than you expend. I know calories are calories, but your body can easily break down carbohydrates into glucose, it takes much more work (energy and enzymes) to break down fats and proteins into glucose for energy. If you exercise in Long Slow Distances a few times a week AND consume less carbohydrate calories, you force your body to go into your fat storage for energy. 

Now your weight will not change right away--fat weighs much less than lean body mass (muscle and bone)--but you will lose inches as your body composition shifts.

Another secret is to consume NO CARBS after 4pm. That does not include non-starchy vegetables. Between 3-5pm, your adrenals take a siesta. You will crave carbs, but avoiding them will force your body to use its stored sugar, then is the time to add a second workout...one of those Long Slow Distances...to burn fat. 

Your morning exercise should be more aerobic, even interval training to keep your heart rate up. That will set your metabolism at a higher rate for the rest of the day. If you workout at this pace in the late afternoon, you will have trouble sleeping.

Your metabolism is lowest at night. By sleeping in the dark high melatonin levels will help reverse insulin resistance. You will begin to notice that you wake up hungry in the morning. That means your adrenal function is normalizing and your hypothalamus is waking up and demanding glucose (the only form of energy the brain uses). So feed it! Start with fruit. (After your Genesis Gold and Sacred Seven, of course) After your early morning workout consume complex carb, light protein, a little fat....to keep your metabolism up.

Don't overdo the exercise. Aerobic activity 3-5 times a week. Long Slow Distances at least twice a week. Take one full day off every 5-7 days to allow your hypothalamus to adjust your new metabolic rate.

Yours in Health, Happiness and Beautiful Hormones :)

Deborah Maragopoulos MN FNP
Intuitive Integrative Medicine
Full Circle Family Health
805 640-3340

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Your Hypothalamus—The Boss of Your Body


For the past fifteen years, I’ve discovered the root of many medical problems  to be miscommunication.  Miscommunication between the boss of your body and the complicated network of biochemicals that control all your body’s functions. Your Hypothalamus is the Boss of Your Body.


What is the Hypothalamus?


The hypothalamus is a small cluster of nerve cells at the base of the brain. Tiny compared to the brain, the hypothalamus weighs only 4 grams (the adult brain weighs 1400 grams). Most of your brain is like a giant computer storing megabytes of information. Your hypothalamus is the operating system orchestrating all the software programs that run your body.

What does my Hypothalamus Do?

Your hypothalamus performs a wide range of functions that are vital for your survival. Your hypothalamus integrates all the basic functions of the body necessary for life, such as:

·        fluid and electrolyte balance
·        feeding behavior
·        weight control
·        energy metabolism
·        wake-sleep cycles
·        temperature regulation
·        stress responses
·        sexual behavior and reproduction
·        emotional expression
·        processing of sensory information
·        balancing of blood sugar
·        maintaining homeostasis

Where is my Hypothalamus?

Your hypothalamus is located just behind and between the eyes at the base of your brain. It contains very important nuclei (nerve cell clusters) that connect it with the rest of the brain and with the endocrine system which controls all your hormones.

Your hypothalamus sits at a crossroads in the brain, receiving direct sensory inputs from the smell, taste, visual, and tactile systems. These sensory inputs to the hypothalamus drive your emotional response and many of the phenomena associated with emotional expression (changes in heart rate, blushing, hair standing on end, etc.)

Why is my Hypothalamus so Important?

The hypothalamus is the master controller of all your hormones, your immune system, and your brain chemistry.

Most people think of the pituitary gland as the master gland controlling your hormones, but it is just a middle manager. It is the hypothalamus which regulates the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus secretes releasing hormones communicating with the anterior pituitary gland to produce stimulating hormones that control the thyroid, the adrenals, the ovaries and testes as well as the production of growth hormone and prolactin (which regulates your immune system).

Your hypothalamus also contains sensors that monitor your blood temperature, blood sugar and mineral levels, and your hormones. Your hypothalamus receives sensory inputs necessary to detect challenges within your body and in your environment.

So when things are different, when your body is no longer acting like it used to, when you go to the doctor and complain that something is not right—your sleep is disturbed, your moods are erratic, you’re getting sick more often, your body temperature is off, your weight is out of control—and all your blood tests are within normal limits…it just might be your hypothalamus that needs help.

How do I keep my Hypothalamus Healthy?

The hypothalamus is maestro of the entire symphony of hormones, neurotransmitters and immune factors. Plus it controls all our basic body functions including those essential for survival.

It’s about time, we get to the root of our health problems.

Thankfully, the hypothalamus is very responsive to nutritional therapeutics. That's why I created Genesis Gold --- to support the hypothalamus. If the maestro gets support, the whole orchestra is more harmonious.

Feed the body what it needs to heal and it will heal.

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