Detox for weight loss is well worth the consideration. In fact, it could be one of the best ways to lose weight.
Weight is about more than just food alone. Internal mechanisms within the body are always working to keep our systems in check. Furthermore, the body continuously tries to keep hormones related to body weight in a healthy balance.
A lot of things in daily life are like monkey wrenches to our systems and disrupt this healthy balance. Placing focus on healthy detox is a way to combat these threats (even if you eat well)!
Detoxifying the body through healthy lifestyle approaches is supportive of gut health, hormonal balance, immunity, and… maintaining a healthy weight!
Five Factors That Influence Weight
1. Sleep Quality and Weight Gain
Lack of sleep has been associated with weight gain and, respectively, imbalances in hormone regulation. Quality sleep is important for regulating the endocrine system, including the metabolism of glucose and various hormones related to appetite. (1)
Furthermore, the dysregulation of the hormones related to sleep, such as cortisol and melatonin, could make it harder to get to sleep and remain asleep throughout the night.
Poor sleep also impacts gut health and vice versa. A 2019 review article explained hectic lifestyles and altered sleep may negatively influence the gut microbiome. The article included how certain eating patterns, such as too much reliance on sugar, could disturb sleep cycles.
These sleep disruptions can lead to interruptions in the digestive processes and hormonal activity stemming from the gut, each of which is relevant to overall metabolic health and daily energy levels. (2) Other studies have suggested that these effects could become more likely as we age. (3)
⇒ For sleep support, I love taking magnesium in the evening. You can also find other sleep tips in this article.
2. Stress and Weight Gain
Similar to the effects resulting from poor sleep, excess stress levels can present an assault on the gut and hormonal health and, therefore, impede healthy detoxification. The health of the gut microbiota has been associated with multiple stress-related outcomes. Also, an imbalance in the microbiome may influence food choices. (4)
I recently learned that meditation increases prefrontal lobe function, improving focus and sense of happiness.
⇒ Try an app like Insight Timer and start with even 5 minutes of meditation (set the timer) in the morning to be mindful of your surroundings and breath and calm your nervous system.
3. Gut Health and Weight
It should be no surprise that gut health is closely tied to your weight. Read below to learn the four specific areas of gut health that are most closely tied to weight.
A. The Balance Between Types of Bacteria in the Gut
There is compelling research on the various signaling from the gut. It is thought to influence mood and behavior as well as the likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Emerging studies have demonstrated how gut microbiota can influence body weight and inflammation levels. (5, 6, 7, 8)
The Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio is a gut-marker of obesity and metabolic diseases that has been emerging in scientific research. (9) Higher Firmicutes and lower Bacteroidetes proportion has been observed in obese versus lean study participants. (10) This marker is included in our GI-MAP gut test.
⇒ We recommend our MegaSporebiotic plus MegaPre to create a rich and diverse microbiome, although with a fibrous, whole food diet!
B. Estrogen Levels and the Estroblome in the Gut
Hormonal imbalance related to elevated estrogen levels is becoming more common. High estrogen puts people at greater risk of developing certain diseases, such as thyroid disorders. Women with high estrogen can experience bloating, swelling, and weight gain. (11)
Estrogen is considered a determinant of fat distribution as well. (12) Fat cells will produce excess estrogen, which may put people who are overweight or obese in a higher risk category. (13) However, there are other factors at play.
Healthy detoxification of estrogen involves metabolizing the estrogens. The estrobolome is a community of microbes and the part of the microbiome that controls this function.
Like the rest of the gut microbiota, the estrobolome is influenced by diet, other lifestyle factors, and age. The ability for it to function properly may be impaired by threats resulting from poor lifestyle behaviors or adverse environmental factors.
⇒ In addition to Megasporebiotic and MegaPre, consider adding our Broccoli Sprout and Seed if estrogen metabolism is a problem for you.
C. Leaky Gut
Similar to the balance of microbes in the gut, intestinal hyperpermeability, aka “leaky gut,” can lead to health problems. Besides gastrointestinal nuisances, prolonged challenges such as food sensitivities and hormone-related conditions can develop, including thyroid autoimmunity. A sluggish thyroid and stubborn weight gain more or less go hand in hand.
Intestinal permeability allows agents that would ordinarily be processed through the body during healthy digestion to escape into your body. (14)
⇒ Our two favorite products for leaky gut are Mega IgG 2000 and MegaMucosa. The Mega IgG 2000 is a better fit for a person with loose stools and/or known gut infections, including that of toxic mold. MegaMucosa better suits a person who tends to have hard stools, constipation or food sensitivities.
D. Digestion and Bowel Movements
Healthy digestion with good bowel movements and bile flow is a primary mechanism for the body to remove toxins.
Also, the small intestine is where most of our nutrients from food are absorbed. If the body doesn’t get the quality nutrients and compounds it needs, it may think that it is starving and unnecessarily hold onto fat.
⇒ To keep the bowels moving, look to DigestGold, Bowel Mover or MegaGuard. They all work a little differently so take a look and compare, but they all can help!
4. Chemical Toxins and Weight
Obesogenic substances are not brand new. Researchers have been bringing attention to this facet for 10-15 years (if not longer!).
Synthetic chemicals found in a wide range of consumer products and the environments in which we live, work, and play can wreak havoc on our endocrine system, coining the term “endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC).” Obesogens interfere with hormonal activity, increase inflammation, and can contribute to weight gain. (16, 17) They are also (you guessed it) problematic for the thyroid!
Again, excessive toxin accumulation can lead to impaired estrogen regulation and may lead to weight gain. Obesogenic chemicals capable of estrogenic-like activity called “xenoestrogens” may interrupt the hormone signaling of estrogen. (20) Xenoestrogens have also been studied for an association with fatty liver disease, which hinders liver function. (21)
⇒ Besides avoiding toxins, again, another great thing you can do to clear xenoestrogens is to try our Broccoli Sprout and Seed supplement. And dosage is normally just one capsule a day.
5. Mold Toxins and Weight Gain
Toxic mold and mycotoxins (fungi that produce toxins) can be found within buildings and on food. For the people that it affects, it can contribute to a wide range of health problems, including respiratory and neurological damage, DNA mutations and carcinogenesis, and hormonal imbalances, while impairing the immune system, liver, and kidney function.
Exposure to toxic mold and mycotoxins may lead to a leaky gut. However, what is even more problematic is how mycotoxins behave. There appears to be a bi-directional relationship between mycotoxins and gut microbiota, suggesting that the gut could contribute to the development of mycotoxicosis. (22)
Considering how the health of the gut influences the body’s ability to lose weight, toxic mold and mycotoxins are worth adding to the list of concerns!
⇒ Clearing mold toxins from the body involves a well-rounded approach. My favorite ways to remove mold from the body are:
GI Detox binder, minimum 2 capsules at bedtime
Electrolytes, minimum 1 serving a day
ACS Silver nasal spray, 2 sprays per nostril 3 X day for 2 months
Conclusion
After reading through this list of 5 top connections between weight loss and detox, take a moment to reflect: might some of these factors be affecting you?
Are you struggling with sleep, stress, gut health, toxin accumulation, or mold?
I’ve provided suggestions for working on each area outlined above, so take a moment to review the recommendations for whatever caught your attention!
Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.
The liver is responsible for hundreds of tasks in your body, including elimination of waste products, regulating energy, supporting metabolism, balancing hormones, and so much more. Read on to learn the symptoms of a toxic liver, and my top low-cost ways to detox your liver!