RECENT STUDY on Toxins & Hormone Health in the NEXT GEN of Women. (MUST READ - RESULTS INSIDE)

Hello beaute!  

This is news worth sharing!  As thoughtful and health seeking women, I think we can agree that the impact of chemicals and hormonal disruptions on teenage girls and young women is a critical one.  There is strong evidence show that hormone mimicker increase the chances of cancer - as well as a host of other hormonal complications.  

At Beauty Ecology, it is our passion to provide relevant info pertaining to your health and beauty so we can not only make better choices for ourselves, but also be an example to the next incredible generation of women and how they can live healthfully.

Moving thought - into action and living-proof of how our lifestyle choices matter.
 A team of young women and scientists   created some major tides in the beauty industry....

To the EVERYWOMAN of EVERY AGE....
Let's rid those hormone disrupting chemicals from our beauty products TODAY!

“Hermosa” in Spanish means “pretty”, which is appropriate since the beauty industry heavily markets to teens who are the highest users and consumers of beauty products.

According to Kim Harley, associate director of the UC Berkeley Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health, “Research has suggested that they [teens] use more personal care products per day than the average adult woman.”

The scary part is that teenagers are particularly vulnerable in formative years of growth and puberty to hormone disrupting chemicals commonly found in personal care products, cosmetics, fragrance, hair products, soaps and sunscreens.

So that’s exactly what the HERMOSA Study focused on when it partnered with UC Berkeley, Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas and a team of youth researchers from the CHAMACOS Youth Council.

THE HERMOSA STUDY METHODS

12 male and female high school students helped design and carry out the study. 100 female latina teenagers were asked to forgo their traditional cosmetics and, for a period of just three days, use products provided to them which did not contain:

• phthalates

• parabens

• triclosan

• oxybenzone

Each participant provided a urine sample at the start of the three-day study to be compared with a urine sample at the end.

THE HERMOSA STUDY (SHOCKING) RESULTS

Urine samples revealed significant drops in levels of phthalates, parabens, triclosan and oxybenzone in the body in an incredibly short amount of time.

At the end of 3 day trial period researchers found:

• 27% reduction of metabolites of diethyl phthalate, commonly used in fragrances

• 44% reduction of methylparaben, used as preservatives in cosmetics

• 45% reduction of propylparaben, used as preservatives in cosmetics

• 36% reduction of triclosan, found in antibacterial soaps and some brands of toothpaste,

• 36% reduction of benzophenone-3 (BP-3), found in some sunscreens under the name oxybenzone

Sara Yang of the Berkeley News made sure to include, “The researchers noted that cosmetics and personal care products are not well-regulated in this country, and that getting data about health effects from exposure, particularly long-term ones, is difficult. But they say there is growing evidence linking endocrine-disrupting chemicals to neurobehavioral problems, obesity and cancer cell growth.”

HOW TEENS REACTED TO THE RESULTS

Kimberly Parra the study co-director said, “After learning of the results, the youth took it upon themselves to educate friends and community members, and presented their cause to legislatures in Sacramento.”

One teen researcher and study co-author Maritza Cárdenas shared:

Seeing the drop in chemical levels after just three days shows that simple actions can be taken, such as choosing products with fewer chemicals, and make a difference.

Kim Harley sums it up beautifully, saying:

We know enough to be concerned about teen girls’ exposure to these chemicals. Sometimes it’s worth taking a precautionary approach, especially if there are easy changes people can make in the products they buy.

If you need help reducing your exposure to hormone disrupting cosmetics and beauty products, contact our team today for a free one on one consultation.  From hair color to deodorant - we've got you covered at Beauty Ecology Organic Salon. 

---

 

There's an APP for that!

Your evolving beauty essentials are now
at your fingertips. 

Yup.  24/7  

Be the first to know about the latest and most relevant women's beautiful health
 inspirations and updates!  

DOWNLOAD THE
IOS APP HERE    &    ANDROID APP HERE

2 Critical Proteins to Defy Advanced Aging.

Where skincare is discussed and anti-aging products are sold, you usually hear the terms “collagen” and “elastin” within the dialog.  While we know that these two components are important for younger looking skin, the question is, "what is the difference and how do these two components work harmoniously together for optimal and voluminous skin health?"

WHAT IS COLLAGEN AND ELASTIN?

Let’s get clear on the difference between this duo of protein-boosters! Collagen is our BFF and beauty savior. When it is at it’s best, it accounts for 30% of the protein in our bodies.  Elastin keeps collagen good company as a like-minded protein found in the body’s connective tissue.

Collagen = strength and foundation

 Elastin = returns shape and flexibility

LESS CELL REGENERATION MEANS MORE AGING

When you’re 20, your skin is perfectly happy with a good moisturizer and SPF. As we age, though, our epidermis gets a bit more demanding.  Thankfully, a layer of new and living cells reproduce every 21 to 28 days. The renewed skin has a plentiful amount of collagen and elastin, which results in a hydrated, smooth, plump and line-free appearance.  "Yipee!"  

Over time… hormones, stress and our biochemistry slowly breaks down in it’s ability to replenish itself of these two critical proteins.  Therefore, you wake up one morning and "TA-DA,"...ok, actually more like “OMG”, the skin feels more loose and wrinkles are spotted.

IT'S ALL IN THE DELIVERY.  

ARE YOU GETTNG THE BENEFIT?  

Move from ‘cover up’ to true transformation through cell-signaling rejuvenation that delivers instant and long term results.  Experience our collection of potent, Evoq Forces of Nature core ingredients that are strategically biomimetic (skin loving and bioavailable) to deliver on target to activate your skin on a cellular level.  Total  renewal and cell regeneration occurs to increase collagen and elastin formation.  

SKIN DEEP STRATEGIES  

"THE OCEAN IS NATURE'S ULTIMATE BEAUTIFIER AND FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE"

Through our food grade, targeted transdermal penetration of deep sea algae and sea minerals, your skin gets the essential building blocks to build collagen and elastin.  All Evoq hair essentials are also infused with the sea minerals to hydrate, nourish, soften and add shine to your hair while also treating the scalp for healthy hair growth!

Building Collagen with Evoq SEA Skin Essentials  

ALGAE EXTRACT

One incredible example is alguronic acid. It increases production of elastin and encourages cell regeneration, hence assisting with firmness and elasticity. 

When compared molecularly to hyaluronic acid, you will see on the visual that the branched polysaccharide from hyaluronic have two branches, and alguronic  has an intricate multi-branched and cross-linked repeat unit structure.

In a study, Alguronic Acid encourages skin cell regeneration by 55%* over untreated cells, resulting in smoother skin texture, and a visible reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

---

 Algae encourages skin cell regeneration by 55% over untreated cells

Ancient Wisdom Small Batched Skin Actives  

Our exclusive Evoq Clinical Grade Astaxanthin is of the most powerful and multifunctional industry antioxidants that protect aging and susceptible skin to free radicals, sun spots and pigmentation and photo damage. Evoq's plant-based stem cells repair damaged skin cells, and your skin will look brighter, stronger, and plumper.

Our Youth Renewal Serum enhances aging skin’s slowed cellular metabolic functions with organic cold pressed patented technology, leaving every ounce of anti-aging benefits. Finally, our O2 & Vitamin C Serum instantly detoxifies the cell while giving new life  - resulting in a plumper look, increases cellular metabolism, and brighter radiance.   .

Ok, that’s all for now.  

Watch out for the next two emails to learn about simple, pro-immune skin tips and the NEWEST COLLAGEN BOOSTING Technology on the market. It’s incredible for women of all ages and the best alternative next to abrasive microdermabrasions, skin needling and other excessive skin-fracturing methodologies.  

---

Ingest and Build Collagen! 

Get the GLOW and stimulate your skin's immunity with Vitamin C.  This sweet nutrient is great  for building collagen.  Food sources are citrus, red chili peppers, guavas, red sweet peppers, kale leaves, parsley, collard greens, turnip greens, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

---

Put strategy into your skin rituals. 

Algae, the origin of life.
Algae has the unique ability to potentiate the beneficial effects of the sea’s wealth of minerals and trace elements by up to 1,000 times, and to restore their fortifying, remineralizing and balancing properties more intensely. 

---

J&J's Talcum Powder Goes on Trial in Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson, already facing lawsuits over products from surgical mesh to antipsychotic drugs, began trial Tuesday over claims the talcum powder it marketed to women gave some of them cancer.

The world’s largest maker of health-care products faces accusations by the family of a woman who died that it knew decades ago that talc, the Earth’s softest mineral, was linked to ovarian cancer. The verdict may set the tone for whether J&J fights or tries to settle 1,200 lawsuits over products such as baby powder.

To win the case, lawyers for the family of Jackie Fox, who died of ovarian cancer last year, will have to prove that talc in J&J’s products caused her disease and the company knew the risk and failed to warn customers.

J&J’s internal documents will show it knew of studies connecting talc use and ovarian cancer but continued to market it, particularly to African-American and Hispanic women, plaintiff’s attorney Allen Smith told jurors at the start of trial Tuesday in state court in St. Louis. “The evidence -- the internal documents -- will show that the company valued profits over human life,” he said.

The “best and most recent” studies show no link between talc and ovarian cancer, Gene Williams, a J&J attorney, countered. “We don’t have to warn based on a plaintiff’s suspicions.”

The trial, before a jury of nine women and three men, is expected to last two to three weeks. Either side, to win, will have to persuade nine of the 12 jurors.

Last week, the judge rejected J&J’s bid to dismiss the suit, saying there was “ample evidence” that might lead a jury to conclude it conspired to hide the risks of talc. The company based its request in part on an April 2014 statement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it didn’t find “conclusive evidence” of a link between talc used for feminine hygiene and ovarian cancer.

‘Mere Cosmetic Products’

The FDA has “a limited scope of regulatory authority over mere cosmetic products,” the judge said.

J&J also contends that Fox’s family can’t prove talc caused the Birmingham, Alabama, resident’s cancer and that regardless, a warning label wouldn’t have stopped her from using it.

“The cause of ovarian cancer is unknown,” Williams told the St. Louis jury Tuesday. Fox had several other risk factors, including blocked fallopian tubes, Williams said.

The Fox family isn’t claiming that talc was the sole cause of her cancer, but that it was “a contributing factor,” Smith said. The plaintiff doesn’t have to prove that talc is the only cause for J&J to be held liable, he said.

Fox “suffered horribly” and underwent several rounds of chemotherapy before dying at the age of 62, Smith said.

J&J marketed its Shower to Shower brand talc for feminine hygiene. One 1988 ad promised “just a sprinkle a day keeps odor away.” Fox said in a deposition about six months before she died that she was “raised on” Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower talc and used it every morning until she was diagnosed with cancer. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., which acquired the Shower to Shower brand in 2012, isn’t a defendant in the case.

Risk Finding

Researchers began linking talc to ovarian cancer in the 1970s, the family claims. Evidence in the trial will include studies by Daniel Cramer, a Harvard University professor and doctor at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who found in 1982 that women who reported genital-talc use faced a 92 percent increase in the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Cramer, in a new study with colleagues released in December in the journal Epidemiology, concluded talc was associated with a 33 percent rise in the risk of ovarian cancer, which worsened the longer it was used.

“J&J was aware of every one of these studies going back 30 to 40 years,” Smith told jurors Tuesday. A government study in the mid-1990s showed that talc caused cancer in rats, spurring J&J and others in the industry to form a task force as a “defense strategy” to prevent government regulation, he said.

Multiple government agencies have rejected calling for warning labels on products that include talc, said Williams, the J&J lawyer. The FDA held two days of hearings on the issue in the mid-1990s, and found no connection between talc and ovarian cancer, he said.

Talc is an ingredient in products as varied as wallboard and the powder that keeps elastic balloons from sticking together. Baby powder is estimated to be an $18.8 million market in the U.S., according to the Statistic Brain Research Group. About 19 percent of U.S. households use J&J’s brand, according to another research group, Statista.

Corn starch has been widely substituted for talc as an absorbent in baby powder and feminine hygiene products. The American Cancer Society advised in 1999 that women use corn starch-based products in the genital area. J&J, which introduced a baby powder using corn starch in the 1970s, continues to offer products that include talc and maintains the substance is safe.

Talc-related claims may generate some high-dollar verdicts, said Erik Gordon, a University of Michigan professor who teaches classes about how drugs are developed and regulated.

“Anytime you bring a case with the C word to trial, there’s a chance for a big verdict,” Gordon said in an interview. “People will be watching this one closely.”

The damages could add up for J&J if it’s found liable. Fox’s case is one of about 1,000 filed in state and federal courts in Missouri. About 200 more have been brought in New Jersey.

About 20,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer annually and more than 14,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium in 2014 put the increased cancer risk at 24 percent. That study, like Cramer’s, concluded women who used talc products on areas other than their genitals didn’t face increased cancer risk. But another study that year published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found talc use on women’s genitals “does not appear to influence ovarian cancer risk.”

“The safety of cosmetic talc is supported by decades of scientific evidence and peer-reviewed studies,” Carol Goodrich, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement before the trial.

The case is Fox v. Johnson & Johnson, Cause No. 1422-CC09012-01, Division No. 10, Missouri Circuit Court, Twenty Second Judicial District (St. Louis).

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-02/j-j-s-talcum-powder-goes-on-trial-in-ovarian-cancer-lawsuits

Donald Trump's hair: Defended and explained in his own words

Donald Trump has been stealing headlines with his presidential run, but there's one question the GOP debate didn't ask: What's with the hair?

His very particular color, cut and combing technique has raised questions since the real estate tycoon was first in the spotlight, inspiring #trumpyourcat hashtags and even TODAY Halloween costumes. But The Donald isn't shy about sharing his hair-care secrets.

Richard Drew/ AP

Katie Couric dressed like Donald Trump for TODAY's annual Halloween segment on Oct. 29, 2004.

RELATED: Felines show off their Donald Trump-worthy 'dos

Below, see some of the most hair-raising things he's had to say about his strand style.

Donald Trump in 2008.

1. "As everybody knows, but the haters and losers refuse to acknowledge, I do not wear a 'wig.' My hair may not be perfect, but it's mine." (Twitter)

Donald Trump in 1994.

2. "I would probably comb my hair back," Trump said of how he might change his hair if elected president. "Why? Because this thing is too hard to comb. I wouldn't have time, because if I were in the White House, I'd be working my ass off." (Des Moines Register)

3. "I've been called out by everybody for the ALS ice bucket challenge. Homer Simpson, Mike Tyson, Vince McMahon … I guess they want to see whether or not it's my real hair, which it is." (Trump YouTube channel)

Donald Trump in 2004.

4. "I do not wear a rug. My hair is 100 percent mine. No animals have been harmed in the creation of my hairstyle." ("Trump: How to Get Rich")

Donald Trump and his ex-wife Ivana Trump in 1997. 

5. "I get up, take a shower and wash my hair. Then I read the newspapers and watch the news on television, and slowly the hair dries. It takes about an hour. I don't use the blow dryer. Once it's dry I comb it. Once I have it the way I like it — even though nobody else likes it — I spray it and it's good for the day." (Playboy)

Donald Trump on July 9, 2004. Getty Images

6. "The reason my hair looks so neat all the time is because I don't have to deal with the elements. I live in the building where I work. I take an elevator from my bedroom to my office. The rest of the time, I'm either in my stretch limousine, my private jet, my helicopter, or my private club in Palm Beach Florida [...] If I happen to be outside, I'm probably on one of my golf courses, where I protect my hair from overexposure by wearing a golf hat." ("Trump: How to Get Rich")

7. "What's the difference between a wet raccoon and Donald J. Trump's hair? A wet raccoon doesn't have seven billion f---ing dollars in the bank." (Comedy Central Roast)

Star Max via AP Images. Donald Trump at the MTV Video Music Awards, 2002.

8. "I will also admit that I color my hair. Somehow the color never looks great, but what the hell, I just don't like gray hair." ("Trump: How to Get Rich")

9. "You can check it. It's actually my hair. It may not be beautiful, but it's my hair." (Ryan Seacrest Presents)

Reuters

U.S. Republican presidential candidate, real estate mogul and TV personality Donald Trump formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during an event at Trump Tower in New York June 16, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid 

10. "I actually don't have a bad hairline. When you think about it, it's not bad. I mean, I get a lot of credit for comb-overs. But it's not really a comb-over. It's sort of a little bit forward and back." (Rolling Stone)

Getty Images

Donald Trump and his wife Melania Knaus when they were dating in 2003.

11. "She doesn't fool with the hair. She's not trying to reinvent the wheel," he said about his wife Melania giving him haircuts. (Playboy)

Reuters file

Donald Trump in an undated publicity photo from "The Apprentice." 

12. "I think he's a highly [overrated] person," he said about Marco Rubio. "And by the way, I have better hair than he does. Believe me. And it is my hair." (MSN.com)

http://www.today.com/style/donald-trumps-hair-defended-explained-his-own-words-t37916

2 Critical Proteins to Defy Skin Laxity & Advanced Aging

Where skincare is discussed and anti-aging products are sold, you usually hear the terms “collagen” and “elastin” within the dialog.

While we know that these two components are important for younger looking skin, the question is ...

"What is the difference and how do these two love birds work together harmoniously to give back to your voluminous skin health?"

  Let’s first get clear on difference between the protein-boosting duo!

WHAT IS COLLAGEN AND ELASTIN?

Collagen is a beauty savior at best, being abundant in bundles of proteins found naturally in the body, accounting for 30% of the protein in our bodies.  

Elastin keeps collagen good company by being a like-minded protein found in the body’s connective tissue. Elastin has the property of being elastic and is not quite as plentiful in our skin as collagen is.

Collagen = strength and foundation.  Elastin = returns shape and flexibility.

"Just like a rejuvenating work out, a lady needs to stay SKIN-FIT!"

LESS CELL REGENERATION MEANS  ACCELERATED AGING...

When you’re 20, your skin is perfectly happy with a good moisturizer and SPF. As we age, though, our epidermis gets a bit more demanding. Thankfully, a layer of new and living cells reproduce every 21 to 28 days.  The rejuvenated skin has a plentiful amount of collagen and elastin, which results in a hydrated, plump, and line-free appearance.  "Yipee!"  

Hormones, stress and our biochemistry slowly breaks down on it's power to replenish itself of these two critical proteins.  Therefore, you wake up one morning and "TA-DA," (or OMG), the wrinkles form, skin sags, and the skin is more susceptible to wear and tear due to unhealthy cells.

STIMULATING CELL REPRODUCTION.
THE TICKET FOR TRUE MAINTENANCE OF AGING.

Our FUNDAMENTAL SKIN + PROVEN SCIENCE creations with Evoq Beauty are to move from ‘cover up’ to true transformative and cell-deep rejuvenation that deliver instant and long term results.  

Experience our collection of potent, Forces of Nature core ingredients that are strategically biomimetic (skin loving and bioavailable) to deliver on target to activate your skin on a cellular level by renewing cell regeneration and increasing collagen and elastin formation.

Essentially, we put STRATEGY back into your beauty rituals. Get healthier skin and look dewy, fresh and youthful  "hey, you might even get carded!"

EXPEDITE SKIN DUO PROTEINS WITH THE NEWEST SKIN TECHNOLOGY. EXPERIENCE THE HEALTHIEST WAY TO MICRODERMABRASION!

Our newest facial experience brings you the Rezenerate Skin Microdermabrasion Facial that instantly goes to work on pigment correction, blemish reduction and skin glowing texture using the most advanced and clinically proven micro-permeation wand.

You’ll see immediate results when used in combination with our deep cell biomimetic and high vibrational Evoq skin actives. 

Key Attributes for Re-energized and Plumper Skin

Reduce the onset and advancement of wrinkles, blemishes, scars and dark spots to drastically improve your complexion.  Exfoliate for deep cell detoxification and removal of old debris and deadened cells.

YOUTH RENEWAL SKIN BLUEPRINT

The Evoq Oil-Free Serum protects aging and susceptible skin to free radicals, natural degradation, and environmental damage. Plant-based stem cells repair damaged skin cells, and your skin will look brighter, stronger, and plumper.

Our Youth Renewal Serum enhances aging skin’s slowed cellular metabolic functions and provides wonderful anti-aging benefits. Finally, our O2 & Vitamin C Serum adds much-needed collagen to the skin to give it a plumper look, increases cellular metabolism, and brightens dullness.

IN CLOSING-

Now you can see why our team is devoted to the newest, natural + clinically proven ingredients as our ethos and promise to offer you instant and long term skin benefits to address what's really going on beneath the skin.  

No, REALLY... You may just get carded!  

CONTACT our team today to learn more about our fabulous new Rezenerate Facial and Evoq Organic Skin Care!

A MUST READ for your SOUL. (Stop Saying “Sorry” & Say THANK YOU)

Hello Beatue'

Women are great at self-sabotage.  Receiving a simple thank is like a automatic repelent for most woman.     Right? 

A MUST READ for your SOUL. 

If you do not know James Clear.  You Should.  And now you DO!  

I've followed and loved his manifesto's and brilliant blog post for about a year.  

I hope our newly created and curated beauty biology relevant information that will be seeding and growing in your inbox - is as addictive as his.

Here's his latest post I thought you should read.  Enjoy. Put it to action. Accept.  

BE Beloved.   xo Kassandra

---

 Make Your Life Better by Saying Thank You in These 7 Situations

There is something empowering about fully accepting a compliment. When you deflect praise, you can’t really own it. When you just say “Thank You,” you let the weight of the compliment sink in and become yours. Saying “Thank You” gives your mind permission to be built up by the compliments you receive.

Getting compliments should be fun and enjoyable, but we often ruin the experience. There’s no need to sabotage compliments that come your way. Accept them with grace and enjoy the moment. 

---

Here is another source of Jame's inspiration!

BE Elite Membership

This is it, Beauty, our big reveal!

BE Elite.

BE Results Driven.

Partner with a team of  next generation beauty innovation pioneers.

Are you getting the results you want?

As a passionate, problem-solving team with a deep love for women empowering women, we’ve listened intently to what the modern, crazy-busy woman wants and more importantly, what they do not want when it comes to their beauty and health.  Knowledge is key, but action is equally important in order to feel fabulous and look great; it takes being PROACTIVE on a daily basis.

It’s personal.

The truth doesn’t lie…so we wanted to create an elite journey of Beautiful Health so tomorrow’s results reflect your actions taken TODAY.  Remember that 80/20 rule we talked about with epigenetics?

We use the phrase “Beautiful Health” because they are inseparable. Our incredible membership offerings are for women who value BIG PICTURE. This includes hormonal health, aging well through a toxin free lifestyle and investing in self-love through the most results based, home rituals and professional salon services.

Connecting the WHY to Your Most Ultimate Results.

Voyage into an enlightened journey through a deeper relationship in understanding your beauty and health insights tailored just for you so you can capture and fulfill what you didn't know you could have. Transform this year with insights and facts to “WHY” we all should encourage the ACTIONS needed to be our most radiant selves and how we give back to world.   

Set Sail with Three Levels. 

We offer three levels consisting of Pearl, Ruby and Diamond to cater to your bigger picture goals.  

No One Trick Pony, Just Relationships.

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all.  All services are catered and personalized for and with YOU.

Welcome to a NEW WAY of BEAUTY. Better. 

EVOQ and awaken to THE skin care essentials.

We now have the proven science and technology to use not only clean, non-toxic ingredients, but also help keep skin free of breakouts, inflammation, imbalances, and premature aging. Indulge in self-care and luxurious multi-correctional infusions of the world’s most active organic and wild crafted deep sea minerals, algae, stem cells, lipids and phytonutrients. These Forces of Nature and therapeutic targeted organic essential oils are lightly infused to energetically heal and help fight signs of aging, stimulate cellular turnover, maintain skin elasticity, strengthen capillaries, inhibit melanin production, prevent wrinkles, deliver oxygen to cells and protect against free-radical damage.  

Join our community who revere themselves as curators.

We like to have a great time, while changing the beauty world. Big things are happening - join us - and stay tuned for more incredible services and luxury products to come!

Unlock your health and Unleash your Beauty. 

Ready to transform your health?  

Sign up with your email below and we'll contact you for a personalized consultation to figure out which membership is right for you!

The REAL Reason Why Women Gain Weight: A Guide to Why to Avoid Trending Diets

Hello Beauty!

It is that time of year. To put it simply, Weight Loss and better health New Year intentions are on the mind.

Start the new year right- in the right state of mind and in the right alignment of what works and does not work- for your most beautiful health. 

Women are inundated daily with conflicting information about what, how much, and when to eat. The real key to feeling great and having true weight loss is through maintaining a healthy metabolism supported by a balanced hormonal state.

 How does a woman’s body get out of balance?
The reasons are as varied and unique as each woman. Each one of us gains, loses, and maintains weight at certain points in our lives for a variety of reasons- physiological, cultural or emotional.

A functional medicine methodology to women's health and weight loss. 

What if you’ve tried everything and still can’t lose weight?

The following underlying conditions make losing weight on a popular diet plan particularly difficult. Here is a summary of these problems.

Adrenal fatigue:
We touch on the intricate link between weight and the adrenal glands in our article “Natural Weight Loss,” but because adrenal depletion is so widespread, and because adrenal health is so critical to losing stubborn pounds, I want to include it at the top of this list. The adrenals release an important hormone called cortisol, which is often described as the stress hormone and is related to adrenaline, the more familiar adrenal hormone, and to your serotonin levels. Too-high or too-low levels of cortisol in the blood can be a major cause of weight gain and the inability to lose that unwanted weight. 

Carbohydrate sensitivity:
While carbohydrates are an absolutely necessary component of a balanced diet, many of us become increasingly sensitive to them as we grow older. Over consumption of simple carbohydrates (like those found in white bread, candy, soda, white rice, and many breakfast cereals) creates a rollercoaster effect on your appetite: you feel energized for a little while as your insulin spikes, only to crash a few hours later when your blood sugar drops precipitously. This low blood sugar triggers the brain to send out hunger signals again, which can cause you to overeat and gain weight. For some of us, this rollercoaster feels like a gentle ride. Others who are more sensitive experience steeper crests and valleys. If this sensitivity is not treated with a diet lower in carbohydrates and sugar, it can evolve into excessive weight gain and a larger metabolic concern called insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition in which cells becomes inured to insulin and the pancreas is triggered to produce ever-increasing levels. 

Depleted serotonin: 
Serotonin is just one of a host of neurotransmitters secreted by the brain that regulate mood, attention, and energy levels. Ongoing stress can deplete our serotonin reserves, leading to intense food cravings — particularly for the refined carbohydrates that when eaten mimic the sense of well-being created by serotonin. In some women, this state of serotonin depletion becomes chronic. Persistent low serotonin levels lead to plummeting energy levels — particularly in the late afternoon — bouts of depression, and compulsive eating. Low serotonin levels can be detected through testing. 

Yeast or intestinal parasites: 
Colonies of excessive Candida (yeast), bacteria, orintestinal parasites in the digestive tract can make it very difficult to lose weight. Many doctors do not test for these organisms. There are several tests you can order to determine whether you have parasites. For women who have yeast overgrowth, eliminating yeast and sugars for a period of time can restore balance to the digestive tract, allowing weight loss to occur naturally. Women often need to use supplements or probiotics to eradicate the yeast or parasites, but once this is accomplished they begin to lose the unwanted weight.

Food allergies:
Similarly, allergies and sensitivities to certain foods can create a dysfunctional metabolism. Frequently these sensitivities crop up in adulthood and manifest themselves in easily overlooked ways, for example, stomach and intestinal upset, headaches, insomnia, lethargy, joint aches, and rashes. If we suspect a patient has a food sensitivity, we recommend an elimination diet. We eliminate potential allergens for two weeks, then reintroduce them for a day and test for reactions. If reactions do occur we recommend staying away from the offending food for at least four months and then cautiously reintroducing it.

Trending Diets

 Common diets like Paleo, Raw, even Macrobiotic can make hormonal health issues like PCOS, PMS, infertility, endometriosis, cramps and heavy bleeding become much, much worse.

What your body wants and needs desperately is homeostasis, not deprivation. Your body craves balance and hates extremes. This means any diet that involves cutting down and cutting out or wildly fluctuating eating patterns is only going to cause your body stress – the kind sourced in your blood sugar stability and your adrenals – that will actually make your body hold on to fat for dear life, and then start signaling health breakdown with all kinds of symptoms.

The diets that don’t work for women

Here’s a look at the kind of diets I know you’re hearing a whole lot about this month. None of these diets address female biology (most of them are even designed only with male biology in mind). All of them concentrate on a simple equation of calories in versus calories out, which, as research shows, is not sustainable for most people longterm (ie. the pounds will inevitably come piling back on).

Paleo Diet –
a high animal fat diet is the worst possible choice of estrogen-dominance based hormonal health issues like endometriosis. Bacon is just not good for your ovaries. Sorry! Yes, we need fat and protein, but too much and the wrong kind is hard for the body to breakdown in all of the places where estrogen is peaking. Women do need to eat fat to lose fat, but animal fats are not the way to go to achieve this. A study from Harvard researchers showed that women were 39% more likely to experience cycles without ovulation (a cause of estrogen dominance, as the body is not producing enough balancing progesterone) if they ate a lot of animal protein. However, the women who had the highest intake of plant protein were muchless likely to experience a lack of ovulation (and therefore estrogen dominance issues), than those women who hardly ate any plant proteins.

Ketogenic Diet –
a high in protein, lower fat, no carbs diet again. While there is a lot of great research on the benefits of fasting on long term health, when you’re in the midst of a hormonal condition, this is a really tough road to go down.  Having tried this out myself as an experiment I can say that although this might feel great at first, partly because you feel like you’re doing the perfect ‘proper’ diet plan, when your hormones shift mid cycle it is near-impossible to fight your impending carb cravings. You will fall off the wagon and carb-loading ensues. Any diet that is very low in omega 3 fats can also increase period cramps and heavy bleeding at the end of your cycle. While we certainly want to avoid carbs like sugar and wheat, we can choose to eat small amounts of soaked and properly prepared whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat and brown rice, which are important to our hormonal balance if we struggle with blood sugar stability (most women do) or adrenal fatigue (also very common).

Vegan/Macrobiotic Diet –
 this diet is high in grains, higher in soy protein, with moderate fats. If you choose to be vegan for ethical reasons, I totally get that. However, you will want to do an excellent job of cooking your food and having enough soaked grains and legumes to get adequate absorbable protein, as well as supplementing for amino acids. This is a great diet for cleaning up house internally – decreasing inflammation all around. But the glycemic impact and lack of amino acids can be problematic for hormonal conditions. We need the amino acids from protein to make our hormones. Too many grains can create a lot of gut dysbiosis and can decrease absorption of all the key nutrients that are required for hormonal balance. And of course, if you’re insulin resistant, have PCOS, this diet can make your symptoms worse.

Master cleanse/Juice cleanse based Diets – a diet that requires an extreme calorie restriction is going to cause major issues for your blood sugar stability. If your blood sugar is peaking and troughing like crazy your body is not converting sugars properly (and remember many juice cleanses are fruit sugar-heavy). Juice that you buy or make at home with a regular juicer often separate out and remove the fiber of the fruit and vegetables (which is needed for your body to better process the fruit sugars) and as such what you’re drinking, if it’s a fruit heavy juice, is just pure sugar and looks no different to your body than a glass of Coca Cola. When fasting like this, your body has none of the nourishment it really needs – protein, good fats – to make hormones or breakdown hormones. You might lose weight, but then it will come back and that fluctuation will cause your body stress and create an inflammatory response. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy a good green juice, I do! I just sync how and when I juice to my body’s needs and I never only drink juice.

I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS INCREDIBLY INSIGHTFUL!  

WHAT ARE YOUR "AH-HA'S" ???

Below, please you'll find two great resources on fad diets and the critical importance of women's hormones and how it directly effects a healthy weight - long term.    

RESOURCES: 

Flo Living
Women to Women