Handling Your Hormones

By Kerri Zane -

Oh the joys of being a Generation Jones woman. We’re finally seeing the light at the end of our PMSing, moody, crampy time of the month, the freedom of no longer having strings attached is palpable. Imagine the day after day joy of wearing white whenever we want and not having to carry along all the extra bits of gear that go with menstruation.  But nature isn’t done messing with us yet! What lies ahead is months and years of perimenopause which will play havoc with our hormones.

What happens when you enter perimenopause is your brain becomes less sensitive to estrogen. This triggers all those symptoms you’ve heard about, or may already be experiencing, hot flashes, fatigue, depression, loss of libido and for many women an amped up appetite. Estrogen affects your neurotransmitters that control your eating, it basically can turn your hunger on or off like a light switch. So it’s up to you to play a physical game with your brain to stay tune with your hormonal currents.

While going through perimenopause you need to keep your muscles are active and fit to keep your body high functioning. The release of endorphins travels to your brain giving you a sense of well being. This along with a high protein breakfast will stave off short term hunger pangs. Protein is harder to digest than carbohydrates so they stay with you longer. Eating an egg white and veggie scramble in the AM is best. A small piece of fruit will curb your carb desire. Eating sugar and caffeine will increase your hunger pang hormone and decrease your stop eating hormone.

The hunger switch needs to be managed every two and a half to three hours so a mid morning snack of protein and complex carbs are ideal. Try a string cheese and small apple.

After we eat our fat cells pump out a satisfaction hormone called leptin. Leptin causes the brain to produce less dopamine. Dopamine is released with the first bite of food. Dopamine encourages eating while leptin curbs the food demons. Two to three hours after a meal the leptin depletes

Artificial sweeteners switch on appetite just like sugar.

When you are sleepy you are more vulnerable to eating more and making less healthy food choices.

Midafternoon is a danger zone for peri women as cortisol a stress hormone, levels drop along with testosterone levels, which makes us moody and tired. Scientists think this is the major reason for weight gain in this stage of life. Tired cranky increases want for sweets and comfort foods.  Our mid forties also cause a change in our brains response to glucose giving us energy surges and drops. Also increases urges for sweets and carbs.

Eat 5 small high protein meals a day.

Don’t cut complex carbs from your diet it will make you crankier. Mix veggies with protein take more energy to digest.

Fill up on endorphins. Can still produce plenty thru exercise, laughter and orgasms. Keeps you away from the food fixation.

www.kerrizane.com

About Kerri:
Kerri Zane is a Health and Fitness Lifestyle Expert for Generation Jones women, those born between 1954 and 1965. She is an Emmy award winning television producer with 20 years of experience. Kerri writes lifestyle and women’s empowerment articles for a variety of monthly publications and websites. She has taught classes at UCLA extension. In December 2009 Kerri was named Lifestyle expert for http://www.4jewsonly.com a social networking site. Featured as the cover story for the 2006 Mother’s Day issue of “Long Beach Magazine,” Kerri was profiled as an exemplary single working mother and role model for women. An honors graduate from UCLA she completed coursework for a Masters in Marketing at CSUN, has a certificate in Public Relations from UCLA, is a member of NATAS, the DGA and a Certified Personal Trainer. Kerri is an ardent supporter of Girlfriends-LBC, a mentor group for teen girls and the American Heart Association. Kerri resides in Long Beach, CA with her two teenage daughters and twin Siamese cats. http://www.kerizane.com