Strategies 22-25

If you haven’t had a chance… check out Part 1, 2 & 3 Strategies 1-21 and how to use this list!

STRATEGY #22. Retrain Cortisol

This glucocorticoid steroid hormone, cortisol, is often referred to as the stress hormone.  It has gotten a bad reputation; mainly because chronically elevated levels or debilitating low levels can cause such metabolic chaos!  However, we need cortisol to help us manage stressful situations.  Cortisol helps us by:

  • Being an energy giver – by increasing our blood sugar quickly
  • Being anti-inflammatory –  in small doses
  • Being catabolic – helping us break down fats and glycogen to use for energy

Chronically ELEVATED cortisol is a problem because it can:

  • Cause elevated blood pressure
  • Cause blood sugar regulation issues
  • Lower immune function
  • Increase inflammation
  • Cause breakdown of muscle tissue (cortisol: DHEA ratio)
  • Increases visceral fat
  • Lead to imbalanced sex hormones
  • Lead to weight gain (especially in the midsection)

Chronically DEPLETED cortisol is a problem because it can:

  • Cause brain fog
  • Lead to sex hormonal imbalances
  • Cause insomnia
  • Increase anxiety
  • Produce fatigue

I believe it’s true that life is about 10% of what happens to us and about 90% of our response to it.  How can we shift our response to stress – physiologically – hormonally?  Here’s a few ideas:

Strategies to re-balance your cortisol stress response. 

  • Eat every 3-4 hrs with adequate complete proteins, anti-inflammatory whole foods
  • Add Sea salt/ magnesium (to foods, water intake, Epsom salt baths)
  • Deep breathing daily (check out a deep breathing  apps – do upon rising and before bed)
  • Biblical Meditation
  • 24hr Rest Day 1x a week
  • Cortisol Manager supplement formula – combination of herbs, vitamins and minerals
  • Grounding/Nature – get outside in nature in your bare feet 
  • Sleep with the sun – follow the light – rise within 1 hr of sun rising and retire within 1-2 hours of sun setting
  • Avoid steroids
  • Morning movement – brisk walk + stretching
  • Don’t overtrain – exercise is a stress reliever but can quickly become a stressor for those with depleted cortisol and imbalance stress response
  • Five A’s of Stress Mastery: Avoid, Alter, Adjust, Accept, Appreciate

STRATEGY #23. Optimize Sex Hormones

Sex hormone imbalances are so common!  Even occurring at younger and younger ages, and can be frustrating to deal with these symptoms:

  • Sleep issues – insomnia
  • Hair loss
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Mood swings
  • Unexplained weight gain
  • Acne & skin issues
  • Low libido
  • Brain fog- forgetfulness

Sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) levels decline naturally as we age, but more prominent or premature imbalances are always a result, not a root.  Meaning there is a hierarchy of other root causes  – hormone imbalance is only a symptom.  It’s really difficult to balance hormones when we are not eating healthy fats (fat is the basic ingredient for all hormones!!).  Or if we are not detoxifying excess estrogen because of gut issues or if our blood sugar is imbalanced and insulin and cortisol are dysregulated.  

So… natural hormone balance means:

#1.  Eat nutrient dense whole foods

#2.  Implement a regular detox routine

#3.  Keep blood sugar balanced

When clients do these three key things, many times sex hormones and the above symptoms start to come back into balance. This concept is illustrated by The Hormone Pyramid: 

Here are a few other tools to balance hormones naturally:

  • Test, don’t guess – get a specialty lab test that looks at the root cause factors (nutrition, gut health, blood sugar, adrenal and thyroid function in addition to sex hormone markers)
  • Balance blood sugar – eating regularly, whole foods, higher protein & fat with healthy complex carbs – can even use Keto Mojo or similar tool to test sugar and ketone levels
  • Learn how to cycle sync – aligning our eating and exercise with our hormones (cycling females)
  • Limit exposure to these Endocrine Disruptors
  • Level 1 support – Adaptogen herb supplements – powerful herbs that help support a particular hormone
  • Level 2 support – Glandular formula supplements – based on lab testing
  • Level 3 support – BHRT – bioidentical hormone replacement therapy

STRATEGY #24. Kick Cravings

Willpower is not the solution.  The battle of cravings is not won with will power.  We can say no to cravings. We can decide to not indulge.  But to get long term victory, the battle is won when we TURN OFF the cravings by finding the root cause!  The main root causes can often include:

  • Nutrient Deficiencies
  • Food Sensitivities
  • Dehydration
  • Not enough protein in our diets
  • Not enough fat in our diets
  • Poor digestion
  • Imbalances microbiome (gut bacteria)
  • Medications
  • Emotional Stressors
  • Leptin resistance
  • Neurotransmitter deficiency 

TIPS TO KICK CRAVINGS:  Plus, make sure to get tested/complete assessments to discover your root cause!!

  • Increase Fats – fats stimulate leptin (our satiation hormone) that tells us we are no longer hungry
  • Take magnesium or take an Epsom salt bath 2-3x a week (especially if chocolate is a major craving)
  • Stay Hydrated –  drink ½ body weight in ounces (max 100 ounces) daily – we often mistake food craving for thirst
  • L- Glutamine – amino acid supplement – recommend taking in a powder form to dissolve in water or add to smoothies
  • Coconut Oil Water – melt 1TBL in 6-8ounces warm water and drink before meals
  • Activate GLP-1 naturally by taking Akkremansia based probiotic
  • Personalized NutriBlend compounded supplement – formulated from NutriStat lab testing – included in our Coaching Program – helps clients replace nutrient deficiencies that could be causing cravings 
  • Healthy Version Exchanges – find healthy ingredient versions of foods you crave!
  • Identify emotional triggers and work with a coach to create strategies to turn off those triggers

STRATEGY #25. Cultivate Gratefulness

Gratefulness is simply choosing to focus our mental and emotional energy on what we do have rather than what we don’t.  Gratefulness isn’t a list (although that’s a start).  It’s a life.   It’s a state of being. Not a state of doing. (although the doing can be an expression of the being).   

Gratitude is who we are Not what we do
Gratitude is a mindset – a way of thinkingNot a list of things
Gratitude motivates our decisions / actionsNot a list of do’s & don’ts
Gratitude is faith based livingNot fear based living
Gratitude is about positionNot possession

Ultimately gratefulness is living by faith. Trusting God to meet our needs as He sees best.  Gratefulness can be healing for the spiritual stressors of envy, lust, greed that can lead to health and weight issues. 

Steps to cultivate a life of Gratefulness:

  • Keep a journal of how God has shown up for you in your life (big and small ways)
  • Retarget complaining with specifically what you are grateful for regarding the same situation 
  • Prayer targeting – Pray for someone or something completely not related to stressor that is triggering ungratefulness 
  • Recognize when self-pity is taking over your thoughts – turn to grateful thoughts instead to retrain your stress response
  • Invest in someone else’s need
  • Powerful Healing – Check out article & video series on The Power of Gratefulness in Healing and Weight Loss

What’s next?

Our “test, don’t guess” approach at Eureka! helps clients know exactly which strategies are the highest priority for them and helps them develop a comprehensive plan!  Combining Nutri-Q online software and NutriStat specialty lab testing our clients know how to start, how to progress and most importantly, how to sustain their weight loss!  

Weight loss is a healing process. 

And healing is a process of letting go. 

We can help! 

Schedule your 1:1 Consultation to get started today for only $150!  After our 1:1, you will know if our D.R.E.S.S. Coaching Program is right for you plus have a D.R.E.S.S. Get Started Plan you can implement today.    

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This