It all comes down to…. Inflammation
With “inflammation”, we think of pain, swelling, bruising, infection from an injury. Maybe you’re thinking “well, I’m not in pain and I’m not injured.”
This is “acute” inflammation and our body’s way of protecting us from further harm.
But it’s the chronic ongoing inflammation that is the bigger problem.
In this scenario, signals are sent to the body to ramp up its defense since it recognizes this as a lingering “threat”.
In menopause, inflammation can be more of a problem. Common health struggles we face in menopause:
- Belly fat
- Blood sugar imbalance or Type 2 Diabetes
- Joint pain – from overweight/obesity
- Heart issues
- Gut problems: , belly gas, bloat & infections
- Brain/mood issues: forgetfulness, lack of focus/clarity; sad and anxious
These are all signs of inflammation and can feel worse in peri- into menopause due to the decline of our estrogen hormone.
Estrogen is not only a sex hormone, it is an anti-inflammatory hormone, often thought of as “anti-inflammaging” top secret ingredient.
Estrogen may be declining, but there is much we can do through healthy lifestyle measures, to tame down the inflammation…
One measure is figuring out. This is exactly what I do with my clients inside the Flourish in Menopause and Beyond Solution.
I always provide a functional assessment of my client’s recent bloodwork.
Assessing blood work from a functional perspective, I am able to pick up clues from their blood work that point specifically to inflammation in their body.
There are markers on blood work that PCPs or GPs don’t routinely order, but are specific inflammatory markers and why I encourage clients to ask their doctors to order these markers while at their regular check up.
As a functional health coach and practitioner, I also give clients access to functional labs so we can figure out the source of their inflammation.
One of those tests is:
Testing their food sensitivities.
When our bodies react to foods ➡︎ inflammation and weight loss stalls.
If we aren’t eating the right balance of protein, fat and carbs for our metabolism, too much or too little of a food group can ➡︎ metabolic imbalance.
This in turn creates inflammation and fat storage vs. fat burn.
When we find the right combo of foods right for us, minus the reactive foods, inflammation subsides and the weight comes off.
This is exactly how we reduce inflammation inside the program.
Here are some of the key anti-inflammatory lifestyle changes we make:
- Eat an anti-inflammatory diet that includes eating the rainbow of whole real foods, and remove gluten, dairy, soy and sugar.
- Develop stress management techniques
- Prioritize quality sleep
- Regular movement and exercise
- Avoid exposure to toxins
- Support gut health
Through this highly personalized approach, clients finally regain their energy, shed stubborn weight/belly fat, find their joy and vitality, so they can navigate this phase of life and beyond with confidence and wellness.
