19. The Appetite Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers produced in cells within our bodies. They send out specific signals to the organs and cells to start, stop or regulate a function, they are transported to the action area within the blood stream and control all areas of healthy function and development of the body.

There are approximately 70 known hormones, each in control of important body functions. The science of  hormones "Endocrinology" is relatively new - the hormone insulin and it's effects was only discovered approximately 80 years ago, saving millions of lives  and as research continues new discoveries are unfolding.

With regards to appetite and hunger there are 2 main hormones. These hormones send signals to the brain, specifically to the area known as the hypothalamus.  The hypothalamus controls appetite by coordinating the functions of the metabolism, liver, intestines and fat storing cells, it reacts to the signals from the appetite hormones. 

Appetite Stimulant

Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a fast acting hormone that stimulates appetite, food intake and increases the storage of calories in the fat cells in our bodies. It is referred to as "The Hunger Hormone". It signals to your brain that you need to eat and stimulates the reward centre of your brain, making you crave your most rewarding foods, the higher the levels increase, the stronger your cravings get.

Ghrelin promotes physical feelings of hunger and if you have a regular pattern to meals, the levels of ghrelin rise around the time you usually have your meals and higher still when you are drastically reducing your calorie intake or fasting.

Frequent eating and overeating affects ghrelin production by keeping levels low.  This may sound good, as hunger pangs are kept at bay, but this eating behaviour is not healthy and leads to being overweight and obese, which is not good for your general physical and mental health.  A recent study by Professor Colin Chapman of The University of Sweden, showed that overweight and obese people in their Study Group had decreased levels of ghrelin in their blood stream. This was probably due to the frequent eating behaviour.  When  successful weight loss was achieved, the ghrelin levels raised to normal levels again.  It is important to understand that overeating leads to Ghrelin Resistance and subsequent weight gain and obesity - this may have serious consequences for your general health and wellbeing.  

Ghrelin is important in a number of brain functions, other than stimulating hunger.  It is important for your brain's cognitive function, mood control and protects against brain degenerative diseases. So being able to feel hunger is a good sign, reward your body with nutritious food. 

Interestingly, it has been discovered that if you have disturbed sleep, ghrelin levels rise significantly higher.  The Swedish study demonstrated that the sleep deprived felt hungrier, made poor food choices and were impulsive, they also had strong cravings for high sugar/ fast carbohydrate foods. This is an important factor if you are trying to lose weight.  A good night's sleep will not only make you feel better, but will help keep the "Hunger Hormone" levels within normal limits and stop it from sabotaging your dieting efforts!

The Appetite Suppressant

Leptin

The hormone Leptin is an appetite suppressant (stops you eating) and is produced in the fat storing cells of your body.  When you eat, leptin levels rise and travel through the blood stream to the brain and signal that you are full, to stop eating and increase the rate of metabolism (speed at which you burn calories)  This hormonal action regulates your body weight.

The more overweight you are, the more leptin is produced.  Significant studies have shown that the overweight and obese have high levels of leptin in the blood stream ( due to larger fat stores) The constant high levels of leptin causes a disruption to the uptake by the brain, Leptin Resistance. The brain does not respond to the signal to stop eating, it doesn't receive the message that enough calories have been eaten and that the fat stores are full and so it continues to put out demands that the body should eat more as it is starving.

Clinical studies have shown that rats injected with high levels of leptin soon developed Leptin Resistance and didn't react to leptin's appetite lowering effects.  They ate more and gained more weight, which in turn produced more leptin - a vicious cycle.

Other clinical studies have shown that successful weight loss causes leptin levels to decrease and return to normal levels and eating 2 -3 meals a day with no snacking will allow those levels to fluctuate normally and for the " stop eating" signals to be received by the brain.

Overeating and obesity leads to resistance of both of the appetite hormones, which in turn leads to more weight gain.  The good news is that with continued healthy eating you can prevent this from occurring and if you are already overweight you can reverse the resistance by weight loss through a healthy eating plan and some exercise.


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18. Mornings at Club Motivita

16. Slow Carb Eating Made Easy

1.  Do not drink fruit juice (fresh or concentrated) or sugar sweetened drinks at all.

2.  Avoid eating foods containing these sugars; fructose, sucrose, maltose, glucose, maltotriose, white and brown sugar, fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, molasses, honey, brown rice syrup and maple syrup.  All natural sugars which send your blood glucose and insulin levels soaring sky high.

3.  If you want to sweeten foods use natural stevia, xylitol or saccharine.  Stringent tests have proved these sweeteners safe and there is NO proven link to associated cancer risks in humans.  These artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar, so you don't need to use much anyway.

4.  Limit these high sugar fruits; pineapple, banana, papaya, watermelon, to occasional small portions.

5.  Limit intake of potatoes, white rice, pasta, white bread and refined grains to very small side dishes.

6.  Eat large amounts of non-starchy vegetables daily.  Spinach, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, salad leaves, peppers, mushrooms, courgette, asparagus.

7.  These slow carb foods will make you feel full, contain fibre and will not provoke high blood sugar or insulin levels; all beans, lentils, apples, pears, blueberries, raspberries, non processed grains ( not milled or powdered) whole grains, rolled oats, brown rice, barley, millet.

8.  Eat healthy protein from fish, skinless turkey, skinless chicken, beans, lentils, eggs, mushrooms at most meals.

9.  Do Not miss meals.  You will experience a low blood sugar which may result in craving for fast carbs to stabilise your blood sugar - it's physiological and an automatic survival reaction.

10.  Do not snack between meals.  Eat at MOST, 3 meals a day.  It doesn't matter what time you eat your last meal, as long as it is part of your daily calorie allowance.

11.  Eat slowly, enjoy your food, allow your intestines to inform your brain that you are eating and that you have had enough!  It takes about 20 minutes from when you start eating for the hormone GLP-1 ( appetite suppressant) to reach it's highest levels.

If you are on a healthy eating plan, remember to eat well, don't go hungry and enjoy your food.  If you would like any information or advice, please contact me via the comments section or our website.


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