Tag: 19. Januar 2024

Hormones act as chemical messengers that are involved in basically all areas of health, appetite, mood, and metabolism. In other words, they’re pretty powerful and can significantly influence your entire body, especially for women. 

“While we often see changes in hormonal balance associated with weight gain or difficulty in losing weight, it can be difficult to isolate a specific hormonal change as the culprit,” Dr Matt Vickers, a GP at Juniper, explains.

“Normal life changes such as the menopausal transition or healthy ageing can account for the hormone-driven changes in fat distribution throughout our bodies,” he adds.

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Fortunately, rebalancing hormones is possible through simple lifestyle changes, holistic health strategies, and proper support. But before we dive into that, let’s explore the key hormones that impact your weight.

Oestrogen

Oestrogen is an important hormone that helps maintain your reproductive system. Though your ovaries produce the most oestrogen, your adrenal glands and fat cells produce a small amount too.

When you have too much of it, you may start to notice fat accumulate, especially in the waist, hips and thighs. Interestingly, declining levels of oestrogen after menopause can also lead to weight gain – though in this case, it typically shows in the stomach area.

Cortisol

Earlier this year, the hashtag #howtoreducecortisol was trending on TikTok and the truth is that this hormone affects most of our lives, in one way or another. Also known as the stress hormone, cortisol controls the processes linked to your ‚fight or flight‘ response, preparing your body to tackle situations it deems as harmful. 

When your cortisol levels are high, your body focuses on the systems and functions it needs to survive, which ends up slowing down other processes that aren’t as essential – like your metabolism. Plus, stress can also activate ghrelin, another hormone that impacts your weight.

Insulin

Your pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream and ensures you have enough energy for your usual day-to-day activities. What many people struggle with is insulin resistance. In 2021, more than 1 in 20 Australians were living with diabetes – which leads to higher-than-usual blood sugar levels. This, in turn, can result in symptoms that include sugar cravings and increased hunger, potentially leading to weight gain. 

Leptin

Leptin is the hormone that helps your body maintain its current weight, regulating the balance between the food you eat and the energy you expend. Similar to insulin, some people develop leptin resistance, which causes the brain to respond differently to the hormone and not get the feeling of fullness or satiety, causing them to overeat and as a result gain weight.

Ghrelin

Ghrelin is another hormone that affects your weight. Also known as the hormone hunger, ghrelin tells your brain that you’re hungry, regulates body fat levels and controls your blood sugar. Some research suggests that lower levels of ghrelin are linked to increased hunger and there is a hypothesis that people with obesity are more sensitive to ghrelin, meaning they don’t need as much of the hormone to experience hunger.

Can you prevent hormonal weight gain?

Hormonal weight gain isn’t always preventable, especially because women’s bodies need to store a certain amount of fat to maintain reproductive health. However, there are things you can do to help keep your hormones balanced.

“Focusing on improving lifestyle factors that might lead to hormonal imbalances, such as improved sleep, reduced stress and a healthy diet, can be far more effective than trying to treat a specific hormone result,” says Dr Vickers.

Add more fibre to your diet

Fibre is important for hormonal health, as it promotes healthy bowel movements, helps your body eliminate excess hormones and plays a role in stabilising insulin levels. The easiest way to incorporate more fibre into your diet is by eating a variety of colourful vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains.

Eat more probiotic foods

Kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and yoghurt are all probiotic-rich foods that help regulate your bowel habits, preventing the build-up of toxins that are bad for hormonal balance.

Steer away from sugary foods

Think syrups, soda, lollies, and juices – all of these foods increase your blood sugar levels. 

Drink water

Staying hydrated also helps you regulate metabolism, while also keeping you feeling fuller for longer. If you get bored of water, kombucha, coconut water and lemon water are three great alternatives.

Exercise regularly

Working out can help prevent hormonal weight gain by lowering stress levels, enhancing sleep quality and releasing feel-good hormones like endorphins. 

Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night

Quality sleep is integral to overall health and it influences hormone production and regulation. Not getting enough sleep for a long period can result in hormonal imbalances and disturbances to your circadian rhythm, potentially leading to weight gain.

“While it can be difficult to lose weight or avoid weight gain because of the body’s natural processes, it’s important to understand that a holistic weight management program that addresses the lifestyle factors that might be driving hormonal weight changes provides the best chance of long-term, sustainable success.“

It’s no doubt been a stressful week in the British Royal household, with two of the family’s most senior working members undergoing potentially serious medical treatment. 

In a statement released by Kensington Palace, it was reported The Princess of Wales underwent a successful planned abdominal surgery and has begun her long road to recovery. Now, King Charles III is gearing up to undergo treatment for a benign prostate condition, which Buckingham Palace has described as a ‘corrective treatment’ for an enlarged gland. 

Given the monarch is said to only be postponing one day of his official duties for the procedure, we can safely assume his condition is relatively minor. But still, the Palace rarely publicises the Royal Family’s private medical updates, so why is the King’s latest announcement so significant?

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If you’ve never given much thought to the role of your prostate, or are perhaps part of the population that lacks one altogether, you probably have a few questions. Here’s everything you need to know about the King’s upcoming procedure, and why treatment of this calibre is a little more complicated than it may seem.

What does the prostate do?

If you’re struggling to recall the diagrams and giggle-fuelled class discussions from your ninth-grade health course, relax. The prostate gland plays a pretty significant role in reproduction, so understanding how it works, as well as some of the common conditions that can arise with age, is essential. 

In short, the prostate produces part of the seminal fluid, or semen. This fluid is then mixed with sperm from the testes, helping them survive and ultimately reach their destination, (be that a ready-to-be-fertilized egg, or a ready-to-be-washed hand towel).

Located deep inside the groin, between the base of the penis and the rectum, the male body typically develops the prostate during adolescence, responding to the gush of testosterone that takes over the body. 

While conditions relating to the prostate tend to mostly affect older men, prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed in Australia (second only to skin cancer), accounting for 33 per cent of all male diagnoses each year. 

The controversy surrounding prostate cancer screening 

As any health professional would agree, screening and proactive observation are the best defences against developing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis. So, when should someone start undergoing screening for prostate cancer?

Unlike bowel and breast cancer, there is no government-organised national population prostate cancer screening program, meaning the decision to begin screening for any issues relies heavily on personal concern and professional recommendation from your GP or specialist. 

According to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the lack of an organised screening program stems from the ongoing debate around the benefits of early detection versus the risks associated with testing and treatment in some cases considered to be ‘low risk’. 

The controversy surrounding testing for the disease comes as a result of a significant number of men experiencing ongoing unwanted side effects after undergoing treatment for relatively low-risk conditions, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.  

For asymptomatic men who are interested in screening for cancer (with no family history of the disease), professionals recommend undergoing a PSA blood test or rectal examination every few years from the age of 50. For men with relatives who have developed prostate cancer previously, proactive screening is often recommended from the age of 40.

So, what does an ‘enlarged prostate’ mean?

Benign prostate enlargement is a non-cancerous, extremely common, and low-risk condition affecting a large percentage of older men around the world, with the 75-year-old King’s diagnosis proving even the most untouchable of people aren’t immune.  

“A natural thing that happens to our prostates as they get older is they get bigger. It’s not so much a disease – I describe it as natural ageing of the prostate,” Professor Declan Murphy, director of genitourinary oncology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, shares with the Sydney Morning Herald. 

“You have to remember what the prostate does: it’s the organ of ejaculation. It’s there for reproduction. I don’t think Mother Nature really intended it to live to be 60, 70, or 80 years old because it’s done its job by then. It loses its ability to have normal regulation,” he adds. 

So, is an enlarged prostate just a natural byproduct of aging? One study found over half of American men have some degree of cancer in their prostate glands by age 80, but most will be slow-growing and benign. 

“All men accumulate them during their life, and all die with cancer cells inside their prostate,” explains Deakin University evolutionary biologist Associate Professor Beata Ujvari. 

An enlarged prostate can considerably impact the quality and frequency of urinary function in older men, marked by symptoms such as incontinence and bloody or painful urination.  

If you are experiencing any symptoms or irregularities relating to the function of your prostate, reproductive health or urinary function, always seek advice from your GP or specialist.

Australia has long been associated with a healthy way of life. An island nation, we’re surrounded by the sea, have the benefits of sunshine most of the year and access to an abundance of healthy fruit and vegetables. 

But despite our surf and turf culture and optimal living conditions, Australia is in the midst of a health crisis.

In our recent Health of the Nation report, we surveyed more than 3000 Australians about their health, food and fitness habits, along with the health issues that concern them most – and the findings gave us food for thought.

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While 80 per cent of people admitted they should be more active than they are, 60 per cent blamed a lack of motivation or difficulty sticking to a routine as the major roadblocks.

We’re also battling with high levels of stress and not getting enough sleep, with many of us prioritising short-term fixes to health problems rather than meaningful and sustainable solutions.

It’s well-documented that our sedentary lifestyle choices come at a cost, and research has found it’s leaving Australians susceptible to chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, diabetes and dementia. 

But with crisis comes opportunity – and we’re here to help.  

Introducing, Health of the Nation

To help Australians transform their wellbeing in 2024, Body+Soul is launching Health of the Nation, a campaign to kick-start the change many of us have been searching for.

So, we’ve joined forces with high-profile trainer Sam Wood, the founder of 28 by Sam Wood, who’s worked in the fitness industry for more than 25 years. 

Our research shows there’s a growing gap between short-term motivation and long-term results. We need to do something to bridge the gap between starting the journey and keeping it going, but Australians still aren’t sure which health decisions are the right ones – an experience Wood is all too familiar with. 

“People overestimate what it takes to become healthy, and that’s a big reason they often don’t get started at all,” Wood tells Body+Soul. “On the flip side, others will try to do too much too early and get burnt out, injured or just find it unsustainable.”

Rather than the all-encompassing fitness programs that have become part and parcel with the industry, Wood favours a more long-term approach, making fitness easy, cheap and accessible for all. 

And now? He’s opening the door to you. 

Introducing you to the Health Club

To make 2024 your healthiest year yet, Sam Wood has created a FREE eight-week Health Club, and he’s offering it to Australians of every fitness level. All you need to do is sign up here and agree to the terms and conditions (which includes a marketing consent).

The 8-week online exercise and nutrition program comprises at-home workouts (no equipment required), meal plans and plenty of motivation delivered by Wood and his team – helping you to set habits that last a lifetime. 

Based on the workouts from the 28 by Sam Wood catalogue, the sessions include general, low-impact and advanced streams, making the Club suitable for for newbies and fitness obsessives alike.

But the best part is no credit card is required. Living expenses are steadily rising, and Australians are feeling it, but we believe that shouldn’t stop you from maximising your health – which, as we know, is the most valuable asset of all. 

The program kicks off on February 5 and ends on March 31, and we hope you’ll join us. If you join late, you won’t get the full 8 weeks – so make sure you don’t miss the start date!

Find out more here, or head to 28 by Sam Wood for a sneak peek.

Try our Real Age Calculator

Not only will you get access to Wood’s purpose-built workouts, but you’ll also be able to use our Real Age Calculator, to help you estimate your health age (biological) compared to your real age (chronological). 

The calculator has been developed based on methodologies used by the Mayo Clinic and World Health Organisation, and considers factors known to influence health, such as diet, exercise and medical check-ups. 

Check back here soon for access to the calculator!

We’re here to help

As always, Body+Soul will provide you with practical tools and information from leading experts to help you feel happier and stronger, and improve your overall wellness with just a few simple changes. 

From fitness and nutrition to mental wellness, sexual health and more, our content is designed to help you look better, feel stronger and live longer. 

Get up to date on the latest health news, follow us on social, or tune in to the Healthy-ish podcast. 

Plus, don’t forget to enter our Health of the Nation competitions, where you can go in the running to win some incredible prizes.

Find out more

Join us and our presenting partner Woolworths and supporting partners a2 Milk and Rebel on the journey to building a healthier Australia.