Weight Management

We put on weight when we regularly consume more calories than we use through our normal bodily functions or expend during our daily physical activities. Unfortunately, losing weight by eating fewer calories and burning more energy is easier said than done. Many of our lifestyle habits make it difficult to shake those extra pounds. When we are stressed, it’s easy to reach for the sugary pick-me-up, or skip out on a few extra hours of much needed sleep. When we have had a long day at work, settling in on the sofa for a few hours of tv may be

By Dr. Sarah Zadek ND The inability to lose weight from diet and exercise alone can be extremely frustrating. There are many factors that affect weight management, and for those who struggle with this it may be worth investigating other causes of this “stubborn metabolism.” One such cause is the functioning of the thyroid gland and its respective hormones. Thyroid hormones play crucial roles in how the body uses energy and regulates appetite. Additionally, fat cells, also called adipose tissue, contains their own messengers and hormones that affect energy stores and usage. The interaction between these cells, their messengers and

Throughout our lives our weight will change. In fact, throughout the day it will change. Sometimes we will be 10 pounds up and sometimes we may be 10 pounds down. As the culture of wellness evolves and matures, so too does the concept of “weight management”. The simple formula of calories out>calories in=SKINNY=HAPPY is laughably reductionist, but it is also quite harmful. The reality is that every BODY has its own ideal form. By this I mean you may have a genetic predisposition to an optimal body shape and your environment, nutrition, hormone function, activity, stress, and sleep all correspond

Your best allies when it comes to losing weight and controlling blood sugar are a healthy lifestyle, plenty of exercise and natural supplements. Natural health supplements support your blood sugar and weight management goals. Here are five of the best to try. 1. Active Green Tea  Green tea has countless health benefits. It revs up the metabolism, keeping people slim and energetic. The Active Green Tea supplement, with green tea extract as its primary ingredient, provides a concentrated punch of antioxidants. It allows one to experience all of the benefits of green tea without actually having to drink tea all

Hypothyroid  is  also  known  as  low or underactive thyroid. This condition occurs when the gland fails to produce proper amounts of the thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) to meet the body’s needs. Thyroid disease is estimated to affect 200 million people worldwide. Of those affected with thyroid dysfunction the majority are women, of which an estimated 50% remain undiagnosed. There are numerous factors that may contribute to low thyroid function including: Autoimmune disease (known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) Hyperthyroid treatment (using radioactive iodine or thyroid suppressing medications) Thyroid surgery Radiation therapy of the head and neck regions Medications such as birth

A bad night’s sleep can be frustrating for many reasons, but we rarely consider its impact beyond the associated fatigue or the sluggish day of work. Sleep deprivation is associated with both short and long term health concerns, and the evidence is only mounting. From a very basic standpoint, poor sleep makes us less cognitively sharp and therefore at a greater risk for careless mistakes. This is consistent with many studies finding that self-reported sleep problems, short sleep duration, fatigue and daytime sleepiness are all linked in some way to workplace injuries due to accidents.1 Nevertheless, what about the health

Arguably, we are more stressed today than ever before in human history. As a result, stress accounts for 75 – 90% of all primary care visits in the US, and prescriptions for antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications are sky-rocketing. Many people recourse to self-medicating with substances such as stimulants, drugs, alcohol, tobacco and even food in an attempt to manage their mental stress. Stress is also considered to be the number one reason why people eat poorly and quit healthy lifestyle programs. Chronic stress is now acknowledged as a key driver behind most of our modern health complaints, both psychological and

Intermittent fasting is a hot topic in the diet and nutrition world. There are many books, blogs, celebrities and even apps touting the many health benefits of this pattern of energy consumption.  The question is whether there is sufficient clinical research to supports these claims. Intermittent fasting has been a part of religious practices for centuries. Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Jewish populations all perform intermittent fasting at different times throughout the year.  Clinical studies on intermittent fasting are still quite limited and what we do know comes mostly from: animal studies, a handful of human trials with small sample