Hi and welcome back!
As I talked yesterday about the effects of hormones on our bodies with regards to appetite, I thought it would also be good to understand another key hormone in this area which is ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes sure we eat enough and if you remember from yesterday, leptin (The world leptin means “full” in Greek) is the one that works alongside ghrelin to make sure we feel full and satiated.
Higher levels of gherlin have been found in people who have less sleep than those who have more so it is now thought possible that lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which in turn triggers the appetite and leads to obesity (although scientists are not completely certain whether obesity raises gherlin levels or high gherlin levels lead to obesity.) Higher levels of gherlin also create less leptin and so the appetite supressent doesn't get to kick in and do it's job! In addition, high levels of ghrelin have been found to suppress the amount of fat used by the adipose tissue. This implies that those with high levels of ghrelin in their bodies will not only feel hungrier than those with low levels, but may burn fat more slowly as well.
I have read that high levels of blood sugar trigger the overeating behavior. In other words, binge eating or out-of-control feeding, called hyperphagia, is associated with a malfunction in the brain’s hunger signals. The level of ghrelin depends on the state of nutrition and hydration of an individual. So its effect does not end with hunger, it affects thirst as well.
So, bearing all this in mind, this is why the recommendations for aiding fat loss are to eat less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated and increase activity and exercise so that you are not just mentally tired from your busy day, but physically tired as well and more likely to sleep well.
And what are we trying to encourage you to do on this FAT-SCRAP Programme?
- Eat healthily by eating less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, - drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated and drink less alcohol which we know contains sugar and
dehydrates the body
- make exercise part of your routine to help you get fitter and sleep well!
Sue x
FAT-SCRAP MARCH 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE
FAT-SCRAP MARCH 2010 DAY TWENTY SEVEN
2 comments:
Great info Sue!
Reading it reminded me of when I was in my 20's and slept 3 or 4 hours a night and drank rather a lot of alcohol every night! I maintained this lifestyle by simply eating more, and more of the wrong foods, to get me through the day, keep me going and alert enough to work! Mentally I was exhausted but the snacks I consumed made me able to function adequately which was enough. My diet then would consist of chips and curry sauce at 2am, bacon roll on the way to work, sticky bun mid morning, something equally as unhealthy at lunchtime and just alcohol and crisps for dinner. Physical exercise...apart from dancing in nightclubs!...was not part of my routine.
When I look at that now I do think it seems extreme and of course I don't do that now I'm a mum!!! However, I do wonder looking at your research whether for years my hormones were totally shot away!!! My gherlin must have been through the roof with all that rubbish eating and alcohol induced dehydration!
Early in my 30's I had my first baby and although I had completely stopped drinking I still had very little sleep as I woke every time my baby did (I still do even though he's 10 now!). I definitely overate during the day for lots of reasons but one I'm sure was to combat the exhaustion.
Now in my 40's I am now eating healthier and exercising plenty but I juggle all the balls of life ineffectively and the first thing to slip is sleep. There are just not enough hours in the day! It's a work in progress for me but I'm better than I was. A year or so ago it would have been the norm for me to still be catching up with work and emails on the computer till 1am but now - most nights - I'm in bed by 11. I HAVE noticed a difference with my appetite and if I am rested I am much less likely to crave the wrong foods and to eat healthily and drink plenty of water. My concentration is better and I can do whatever I need to do so much more efficiently.
So all in all Sue, I am totally supportive of these ideas regarding hormones and lack of sleep because its definitely worked for me.
Food choices
Orange juice muesli yog apple dried apricot nuts seeds
butternut squash soup wholemeal pitta filled with mixed salad and pitta
grilled chix breast roasted veg
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