magnesium · unexplained weight gain · weight loss · Jan 06, 2022

Common Causes for Unexplained Weight Gain

HYPOTHYROIDISM

One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder in her life. Most commonly is an underactive thyroid (called hypothyroidism) according to the American Thyroid Association. This is when your thyroid slows down, triggering weight gain. Women with hypothyroidism may also suffer from low energy levels or fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, hoarseness, or constipation. If you notice any of these symptoms and they seem to have appeared out of nowhere, you should book a chat with your doctor who can check on your thyroid with a simple blood test if necessary. If you have access to an integrative or functional medicine doctor, they will typically do a full blood panel to look at everything going on and be able to give a more comprehensive analysis as to what is going on.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Research shows that as many as one in five women have polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is an endocrine disorder that throws off the balance of estrogen and testosterone in the body and can trigger a number of unpleasant symptoms like irregular periods, abnormal hair growth and severe migraines. It can also disrupt the way your body uses insulin (the hormone that helps turn sugars and starches into energy) which means unexplained weight gain around the mid-section.

SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH (SICO)

The gut relies on good bacteria to function well but there is also bad bacteria living in your digestive tract and when that balance gets disrupted, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can take place triggering an array of symptoms - most commonly bloating, gas, irritation and unexplained weight gain. Seek out an integrative or functional medical doctor that can help to treat the symptoms and to help balance and optimize your gut health.

INSOMNIA

Sleep deprivation can cause your body to crave sugar because lack of sleep takes a toll on your hunger hormones and metabolism. Sleeping too little raises ghrelin, the hormone that signals its time to eat while lowering your levels of leptin, the hormone that will tell you that you're full. If you're putting that extra hour of sleep off to watch an extra episode, that hour could be a contributor to your weight gain. Solutions? Try intentionally turning off all electronics before going to bed and spend the last hour before bed (not at bed time) doing something like stretching, reading, yoga, meditation or working on a side project. Your body will reap the benefits tremendously. Try this for a week and see how it goes!

DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY

We repeat this one time and time again. When you're stressed, anxious, depressed, you get a surge of adrenaline along with a heavy dose of cortisol which is supposed to help you restore energy reserves and store fat. The issue becomes when we experience chronic stress and anxiety. These levels of cortisol stay elevated for prolonged periods of time then your body continues storing fat leading to weight gain. Solution? Start incorporating more activities into your lifestyle that are not stress inducing. If you do not have time, think of 15 minutes in your day that you could simply replace with an easy walk, deep breathing exercise or meditation. There are several apps you can download for free like Headspace or Waking up that will give guided meditation and courses on calming the mind and all it takes is 10-15 minutes per day but the results are life changing.

Supplements we recommend?

MAGNESIUM.

Magnesium is super important for a healthy, functioning body. It regulates over 300 enzymes in the human body and supports several body functions.

Such as:

• Eliminating chronic constipation

• Reducing your risk of metabolic issues like excess belly fat, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure

• improving micronutrient intake

• supporting healthy kidney function

• helping your body detox and flush out heavy metals

• swapping mindless snacking or drinking for a warm bath

• boosting serotonin - and your mood

We have seen thousands of women have some of their most chronic symptoms eliminated through the incorporation of magnesium into their lifestyle - which is why we specialize in topical herbal magnesium therapy.