What is leptin? In short it is a human hormone. When it is functioning in the right way, the leptin hormone will send signals to the brain to tell it that you have had enough to eat and for your body to stop storing fat.

It works in three main ways:

1. produces Melanoctye-stimulating hormone (MSH), otherwise known as intermedins. It acts like an appetite suppressant.
2. it works to reverse the effects of neuropeptide Y. Neuropeptide Y tells the body to store up fat and decreases the metabolism.
3. it counteracts with another stimulant called ananadamide (aka the bliss molecule) which can result in weight gain.
   

It is important to understand that leptin and weight loss go hand in hand with each other for women trying to lose weight. What is the link between leptin and weight loss? Basically body fat secretes it into the bloodstream. The basic principle is that the more fat cells that are in the body, the higher the hormone content is. It would seem that the larger you become, the easier it should be for your body to tell you it has enough fat.

For those with leptin resistance the opposite is true. Even though your body is storing a tremendous amount of fat it isn’t sending the signals to your brain to say stop eating.

There are many factors that contribute to your body becoming resistant to the brain stimuli of the hormone, here are a few of the top ones:

• Yo-yo dieting or having been on calorie restricted diets
• Eating foods that contains simple carbohydrates
• Exercising to much can add to the problem if your hormones are damaged
• Not getting enough sleep
• High levels of the stress hormone cortisol

 
If you have food cravings that you just can’t beat, you might be dealing with leptin resistance. This means that you will often feel hungry when you have already had enough to eat. It does not mean you don’t have enough leptin in your body, it means that your brain is not registering that you are full. This can get worse the more you eat which then results in weight gain.

Many health issues can be attributed to higher levels of the hormone. Some include obesity, fertility issues, high blood pressure and heart disease. When you address the leptin resistance you are also solving many other health issues along with losing weight.

How do I fix leptin resistance? Well, it can be complicated.  There are a few variables to be considered but first you really have to KNOW what your levels ARE.  Not just leptin, but insulin as well as well.  These are two tests I routinely order for my clients, especially if they have excess weight to lose. Once we know your levels we know how aggressive you need to be to wrangle the two linch pin hormones under control.

If you have been struggling with your weight and really want to get to the bottom of the hormonal issues that are keeping you from living your best life then I'd love to hear from you.

There are TWO main types of FOOD INTOLERANCE that I deal with on a regular basis in my clinic. Functional Food Intolerance and Non-IgE immune mediated food intolerance

Functional food intolerance is caused by maldigestion of food due to low levels of gastric secretions or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Improving digestive function with bitter herbs, liver & gall-bladder support and probiotics is a vital part of managing functional food intolerances.

Lactose, fat and FODMAP intolerance are types of functional intolerances. Maldigestion of these foods has an osmotic effect in the bowel causing diarrhoea, and fermentation of undigested food by gut bacteria causes gas, bloating and cramping pain which is often associated with a diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Functional intolerances are best managed by reducing intake of the offending foods initially, with studies finding significant improvement in IBS symptoms with a low FODMAP diet. However long-term dietary restriction can cause health problems. A low FODMAP diet is low in fibre and prebiotics and can contribute to dysbiosis, while long-term avoidance of fats can cause deficiencies in essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. Therefore it is vital that following the initial removal of the offending foods, significant work is done to improve digestive function so that the food group can be reintroduced and tolerated.

Non-IgE immune mediated food intolerance is caused by the release of antibodies and inflammatory compounds in response to certain foods. These inflammatory molecules act as a final 'chemical' barrier when intestinal barrier function is impaired and food antigens are able to cross the gut wall intact. This sets off a systemic inflammatory cascade which may present in many ways, from Inflammatory Bowel Disease to arthritis and autoimmunity. Common food triggers include gluten, casein, corn, soy, eggs, yeast, food additives and salicylates.

Reducing inflammation and improving intestinal barrier function is key to managing immune mediated food intolerance but effective management means complete avoidance of the offending foods while improving gut barrier function and reducing intestinal and systemic inflammation.

For testing options to identify offending foods and to help with recovery from food intolerance please contact Dee.