Weight Loss Block #5: Inflammation

1- Insulin Resistance - Systemic inflammation blocks insulin receptors, which means your body becomes resistant to insulin. Excess belly fat and weight gain in general are common signs of insulin resistance.

2 - Belly Fat Cycle - In addition “belly fat” is a biologically active tissue that produces its own hormones and inflammation. So essentially the belly fat creates inflammation and the inflammation creates more fat in a vicious cycle.

3 - Never Feel Full - Systemic inflammation can cause leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone that makes you feel full. When we become resistant to leptin, we feel hungry more often and therefore tend to overeat and put on weight.

4 - Cravings - Since a leaky gut is at the root of systemic inflammation, food is not digested and nutrients are not absorbed well. Nutrient deficiency is a source of chronic stress that leads to cravings, overeating & binging. Studies show that leaky gut syndrome can set the stage for obesity and diabetes.

5 - Inflammation is a Chronic Source of Stress - Inflammation triggers excess cortisol - which also triggers excess insulin - causing more fat storage and blocking fat breakdown. Excess cortisol is also inflammatory, so they go hand in hand.

6 - Food sensitivities contribute to weight gain by fluid retention, bloating, increased appetite and inflammation. All of which leads to feeling bad, no matter what you eat. Not to mention it also leads to feelings of futility and wanting to 'throw in the towel'.

7 - Addiction/Allergy Response - In some cases it even presents as an addiction-allergy, where the person wants the food they are sensitive to - in unusual amounts - and/or they hyper focus or prioritize eating it. It causes weight gain both from overeating it and also from the inflammation pathways and water retention triggered by eating the food.

8 - Healthy Food, Unhealthy Response - Food sensitivities trigger IgG antibodies, which activate the immune system. This leads to inflammation in the body, raising inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein etc. So even if you eat healthy, and don't live an inflammatory lifestyle, you can still be resistant to weight loss.

9 - Increased Appetite - Increased chronic inflammation impairs the brain’s ability to receive cues from leptin (leptin resistance). Leptin is the hormone responsible for suppressing appetite.

10 - Slows Metabolism - Leptin also communicates with the brain to speed up or slow down metabolism. With inflammation, the brain doesn't get proper feedback, so leptin remains low triggering the appetite to increase, and metabolism to slow.

11 - Aversion to Movement - When a person is inflamed, they often have joint and muscle pain, which makes it difficult to engage in physical activity. Since they are retaining water, feel bloated and heavy, they also don't have the energy for it.

12 - Perpetuating Cravings - Deficiencies in essential fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin D etc. are also linked to inflammation and weight gain. This can be a cycle because inflamed intestines do not absorb nutrition well and a person who is not absorbing nutrition well, will have cravings and a lack of energy. Perfect for perpetuating binging, a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain.

13 - Overeating Cycle - Overeating itself triggers the immune system, which causes the body to generate excessive inflammation, which causes leptin resistance, and more overeating, leading to inflammation and so on.

14 - Recipe for Hormonal Disaster - When you eat foods that you are sensitive to, your histamine levels rise causing water weight gain. What's worse is it also triggers cortisol levels to rise - which triggers fat storage (by it's effects on insulin). High cortisol levels also makes you feel stressed, which compromises other hormones - like progesterone and estrogen and eventually the thyroid which regulates metabolism.

15 - Yet Another Cycle - Essentially, inflammation causes weight gain and weight gain causes inflammation, so they feed off each other in a vicious cycle.

Would you like to heal your situation with inflammation and at the same time unblock your weight loss resistance?

Click here to learn more about how you can.

When you put your health first, the extra weight comes off naturally - as a good side effect of having achieved optimal health!

Inflammation issues are just one example of the '8 Weight Loss Blocks' that we identify to individualize your weight loss journey.