Healthy weight

Adrenal imbalance and your weight — a Core Balance approach

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

Many of my patients draw a blank when I mention the possibility of an adrenal imbalance in connection with weight loss. But the reality is that our adrenal glands — the life saving glands responsible for our stress response — are so important to maintaining healthy weight and overall good health.

For many years we’ve known that stress and the high cortisol levels that result from it can be linked with weight gain. Yet, from what I see in my practice, this increase in weight is not usually connected to overeating. Sure, women may eat more with an adrenal imbalance because they think they’re hungry when really they’re just extremely tired and trying to get through the day. But the reality is that when our stress goes unchecked and the adrenals are out of balance, it doesn’t really matter how many calories we take in — during stressful situations, the body goes into crisis mode and stores more fat in case of a famine.

A study done in 2003 looked at the links between stress and weight gain. The authors propose that over time, the release of stress hormones, like cortisol, can do three major things to cause weight gain: first, it excites the central nucleus of the amygdala, which is a major part of the emotional brain; second, it magnifies our satisfaction from pleasurable or compulsive activities, such as eating sugar (which can actually act like a drug in some people); and third, it increases the amount of fat deposited in the abdomen. The third finding is what I’ve found to be most true in working with women with adrenal imbalance.

What’s wonderful is that we can ease the body away from holding on to extra weight by healing the adrenal glands, the glands responsible for dealing with stress and releasing cortisol. The Core Balance Diet for Adrenal Imbalance can direct women to the foods and supplements that support adrenal function — because we know that certain kinds of foods and supplements at certain times of the day can help reset the adrenals. (We talk about this in our article on eating to support your adrenal glands.)

Energy is also a key component of adrenal imbalance. When energy is low, we’re more likely to make unhealthy food choices and have less desire to get out and exercise. It’s so important for women with adrenal imbalance to eat foods that sustain their energy throughout the day, and not to worry at first about weight loss until the adrenal glands are healed. Eventually the weight will come off, I promise!

For meal plans and a detailed discussion on balancing your adrenals and reaching your natural weight, read my new book, The Core Balance Diet.

Our Personal Program for Core Balance is a great place to start

The Personal Program for Core Balance helps rebalance your body to promote natural and lasting weight loss. At the heart of our Program is The Core Balance Diet, an eating plan designed to provide the body with the foundation it needs to lose pounds along with the digestive and nutritional support needed to maintain a healthy weight.

• To learn more about the Program, go to How the Program works.
• To learn if the weight loss approach in the Personal Program for Core Balance will work for you, take our on-line Weight Loss Profile.
• To start taking control of your weight today, sign-up for a risk-free trial.
• If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-800-798-7902. We’re here to listen and to help.

Related to this article:

References & further reading on core adrenal imbalance

 

Original Publication Date: 04/16/2009
Last Modified: 08/17/2009
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP