Big Hips, Big Thighs and Fatter Tri's

If you find yourself bigger south of the belly button and have thicker upper arms, oestrogen dominance could be the culprit.

Oestrogen dominance is when progesterone is low in relation to oestrogen. Most everyone living in highly industrialised societies or are living in the UK (the UK has some of the highest amounts of ‘bad’ oestrogen's in the air and water) are oestrogen dominant to some extent.  Men are not exempt from this……you may have noticed the wide spread epidemic of man-boobs even on thin men due to chemicals called xeno-hormones. Xeno-hormones are pollutants that occur outside of the body causing oestrogen like activities within the body. They are easily absorbed by ingestion, inhalation and by direct skin contact through pollution in the environment and substances/materials used on the body. Most common sources are:

· Conventional (non-organic) Meat and Dairy Products

· Vehicle exhaust

· Solvents/Adhesives (nail polish, paint varnish, dry cleaning)

· Everything Plastic (water bottles, food containers)

· Emulsifiers in cleansers and skincare products

· Petrochemicals (herbicides, fungicides, pesticides)

· Prescribed synthetic hormones (Birth Control Pills, Oestrogen Replacement Therapy)

These xeno-hormones bind to our body’s oestrogen receptors activating oestrogen responses. They inhibit the liver from eliminating the excess oestrogen as xeno-hormones are a foreign product and the liver doesn’t know how to rid them properly. All of these excess oestrogen's manifest in fat stores on the hips, thighs and back of the arms and throw off the ongoing balance of progesterone and oestrogen creating numerous symptoms. Symptoms of oestrogen dominance are:

· Bloating

· Weight gain

· Mood swings (usually depression or irritability)

· Breast swelling or tenderness

· Irregular or abnormal periods (usually excessive bleeding or PCOS)

· Decreased sex drive

· Cold hands and feet

· Premenstrual headaches

Note: Women who are going through or who already have gone through the change of menopause may notice that these are the same symptoms of peri-menopause (pre-menopause). Basically, xeno-hormones ARE causing early menopause and infertility issues. Keep in mind if you are of menopausal age these symptoms are normal….to a degree. If you are experiencing harsh symptoms of menopause then consult with your M.D. or naturopath.
Oestrogen dominance is dangerous to our health and if it becomes a chronic condition it can be blamed for many ailments and diseases, such as, infertility, PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), fibroids, cancer of the reproductive tract, breast cancer, thyroid disease and birth defects.

How can you get rid of these nasty xeno’s and slim down those hips, thighs and tri’s???

Because xeno-hormones are in the air we breathe, it is impossible to completely avoid absorption of these big ‘downers’. It is imperative to your health to do everything you can to reduce the toxic build up of these chaos creating synthetic hormones. Below is a list of ways to clear the body of the excess oestrogen:

· Drink a lot of water!!! We now need to drink more water than ever to flush our systems and help our liver clean out pollutants and excess oestrogen.  Adding fresh lemon juice will help rid these toxins more efficiently

· Stop all pesticides- eat organic (all food and coffee)

· Stop exposure to solvents, cosmetics and soaps made with petrochemicals like mineral oil. Use natural non-formaldehyde nail polish and removers

· Do not use mineral oil on your body. Check all of your skincare products. Mineral oil comes from the stuff we make our motor oil out of and is as bad as rubbing plastic all over your body!

· Stop microwaving plastic…..Come on! You should know this by now. This will most definitely release xeno-hormones in to your food. Seriously, stop being lazy.

· Wear natural fabrics and stay away from synthetics like polyester when possible

· Use air fresheners made from essential oils instead of synthetic fragrance

· Stay away from all synthetic hormones. Think about trying other forms of birth control other than the BCP. You will be healthier in the long run!!

Also, add these nutrients to your diet to help your liver detox the excess oestrogen efficiently and drop a trouser size or two:

· Extra greens and/or green drinks – Greens are alkaline forming and are great at ridding the body of excess hormones.  Joe and the Juice makes great green juices!

· Milled flax seeds or linseed (build up to 2 tablespoons a day) – Bad oestrogen attach to the lignans and then are excreted from the body

· Probiotics – Take after each meal

· DIM (Diindolylmethane) - A stable indole found in cruciferous vegetables which promotes beneficial estrogen metabolism

· Cal D Glucorate – Specifically helps the body excrete ‘bad’ oestrogen

· Resveratrol – Increases the production of an enzyme that destroys dangerous oestrogen metabolites and is found in red wine (especially Spanish reds) but is best in supplement form

If you also carry extra weight on your abdomen as well as the hips, thigh’s and tri’s then there is a good chance you could be oestrogen dominant due to insulin resistance. Insulin Resistance (the inability to break down carbohydrates efficiently) also creates oestrogen dominance. If this is the case, follow all of the above and lay off carbohydrates for a couple weeks (even fruit) and then reintroduce thinned skin fruits slowly. After your abdomen is lean then start slowly adding low glycemic index carbohydrates back to your diet.

Good luck!

Cinnamon Surprise

Morning barrecore Bikini Bootcampers!  

Here I have a delicious and fat burning trick to get you out of bed and out the door to those early Bikini Bootcamp classes.  Cinnamon!  That’s right, all you need are a couple dashes in your morning cup of organic coffee or tea to get your metabolism revved up, insulin sensitivity at it’s peak, and to keep inflammation and sugar cravings at bay for the rest of the day.
This super spice that adds a natural sweetness (so no sugar or fake sugars needed!) has been used medicinally for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and blood sugar stabilizer.  
This incredible smelling bark can do many things for you as you sweat and burn at the barre but what I think is the biggest perk is that cinnamon slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach after meals, reducing the speed at which blood sugar levels rise.  The compounds in cinnamon not only stimulate insulin receptors but significantly increase cells uptake of glucose.  Why is this important? Well, just a couple dashes will keep your energy levels steady throughout the day and keep belly and back fat from forming and increase fat loss.  Cinnamon can also help those with Type 2 Diabetes or any other insulin resistance issue (i.e., PCOS, Hypoglycemia) respond to insulin and may even improve symptoms. Psst.....Even having a small amount of cinnamon on a high carb treat can dramatically lessen the ill effects on blood sugar levels.  Isn’t that sweet?!

Other wonderful aspects of adding cinnamon to your daily diet:

• It’s high in calcium and fiber which are excellent for overall gut health
• It’s high in manganese which is great for thyroid function, strong bones, nerve health and protects from oxidative stress (aging)
• It’s an anti-fungal which keep yeast infections at bay
• The scent alone improves brain activity!

Try it out and let me know what you think.  I get so excited to make my morning coffee a healthy start to my day.  Now that’s getting off on the right foot.....and into barrecore socks of course!