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Special Thanks to the team at Best Mattress Reviews for this guest blog post.  Not getting enough sleep makes it harder to lose weight. In fact, not sleeping enough and not sleeping well both lead to a person being at a higher risk for developing obesity. While being sleep-deprived will make weight loss more challenging, you don’t have to give up. It helps to understand why not sleeping makes losing harder and to understand how you can improve your sleep.
Sleep and Metabolism Not getting enough sleep means that your body doesn’t have as much energy from rest. It tries to make up that energy deficit by consuming more calories so that it can keep your energy levels up and still perform at the level you need it to. Sleep deprivation cues changes in two important hormones that regulate appetite: leptin and ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that tells you that you’re hungry and it’s time to eat. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin, so you eat more food. On the other side, leptin tells your body to stop eating, that your needs are met and your body is satisfied. When you aren’t sleeping enough, your body makes less leptin, so you eat more than you need. Together, these hormones regulate your eating. They get thrown off when you don’t get enough rest because they are trying to help you get more energy. Sleep and Impulse Control As if the metabolic changes that come alongside a lack of sleep weren’t enough, sleep also affects the way your brain works. When you don’t get enough sleep, you have more problems with self-control and impulsivity. This means that not getting enough sleep makes it harder for you to resist the unhealthy foods you sometimes crave. When you combine this difficulty with impulse control with the metabolic changes mentioned above, it’s easy to see why not sleeping makes it so much harder to lose weight. Your body is telling you to eat more and you don’t have as much ability as usual to say no. How to Sleep Better Clearly, getting good sleep is key to making your weight loss journey easier. If sleep is difficult for you, though, it can feel like there’s not much you can do to make things better. However, a few small changes could make a big difference in your sleep.
All of these things should help you sleep better. When you’re getting more sleep, you should find that losing weight is easier than it is when you feel exhausted.
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 The skin is the body's largest organ and has many important functions. It keeps our bodies held together, it regulates our temperature, fluid volume, and protects our "inside" bodies from "outside" dangers. It helps in the synthesis of Vitamin D and its vast system of nerves helps us sense our environment. Skin is also beautiful and enjoyable -- think how nice it can be to hold hands with somebody you love.
As a Certified Wound Care Associate, Lisa Hugh has many years of experience helping people to make their skin as healthy and beautiful as possible. There are many types of skin changes and problems and most can improve with nutrition and skincare. At Southern Maryland Dietitian, there are many tools we can use to help you skin be as healthy and beautiful as possible.
NUTRITION & SKINCARE PACKAGES -- COMING SOON! (For more information and to be kept up to date on this - send an email to SouthernMarylandDietitian@gmail.com) MICRONUTRIENT TESTING  One of the services I offer clients is advanced nutrition testing. I offer tests to address food sensitivities, genetic markers related to nutrition, and a test that examines the micronutrient levels inside your cells. Testing gives us a better understanding of how nourished your body has been over the past several months, can help identify problem areas in your diet, and can help in determining if you are taking appropriate supplements. Testing can also give clues to your digestion and overall health. Here is a great description of why this test is great. Questions? Email me at SoutherMarylandDietitian@gmail.com (The image above shows how test results are reported. The image below shows what is included in the test.)   Southern Maryland Dietitian and Genetic Direction are very excited to announce the release of another new genetics-based program, GxNutrient! Starting today, you can obtain detailed and personalized information about how your genetics and nutrition overlap.
Here are a sample report and an overview of the program:
Probiotics The human microbiome is complex and with trillions of bacteria in our gut, it can be a lot to manage. Your gut bacteria are an essential part of your body’s ability to digest food, boost immunity, and fight infections. Your gut flora makes up 70-80 percent of the human immune system -- making it so important to regulate in our everyday lives. Having a bacterial imbalance can lead to numerous health issues including arthritis, constipation, diarrhea, feelings of depression and anxiety and overall poor nutritional status. So how do we care for and manage this system? One of the biggest ways is taking Probiotics! Probiotics can be consumed to help rebalance your gut flora. You can find probiotics in many different forms. You can eat naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, and miso. However, sometimes you need to add in a higher potency probiotic supplement that has a variety of live, active cultures to get you back on track. Each individual has different needs and with so many products on the market yet little information about them it can be even more difficult making the decision. In the past, we often heard that all probiotics were good and to look for one with a high count of active cultures. Now, much more research is being done on the various strains and how they work in the body. Health care providers and consumers now have more options and resources to identify which strains and products can help them with their specific concerns and symptoms. A research team at reviews.com tested 277 probiotic supplements on the market. You can find their full review here: http://www.reviews.com/probiotic-supplement/. They consulted with nutrition specialists, natural medicine doctors, and microbiologists to discover what to look for in an effective probiotic supplement. Their top picks are listed here: Best Probiotic Supplement for: General Health: Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Colon Care Weight Loss: MegaFlora Probiotics Antibiotic Recovery: Custom Probiotics 11 Strain Probiotic Powder Immune Booster/Anxiety and Seasonal Allergies: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Extra Care 30 Billion IBS, IBD, and Acute Infectious Diarrhea: VSL #3 Lowering Cholesterol: Innovix Labs Multi-Strain Probiotic Lactose Intolerance: Bio-Kult Advanced Probiotic Multi-Strain Capsules Women's Health: Garden of Life RAW Probiotics Ultimate Care In addition to their findings, the Clinical Guide to Probiotic Products also has a breakdown chart of products that are suggested for adult and pediatric health. My clients also ask me about probiotics for specific health conditions. The ones I recommend most often are: MegaSporebiotic. This probiotic can help relieve constipation and promotes healthy cholesterol levels, produces important nutrients, and helps prevent and treat allergies and infections. This product is available for purchase in my office, and soon will be available online. Ultra Flora Control: This probiotic has been shown to help people reduce calorie intake by allowing them to feel fuller after meals. Ultra Flora Spectrum: This probiotic contains several strains of bacteria and a helpful yeast. These probiotics are available through my website and all customers receive 20% off of their first order. Consultations Available These are just a few of the many high quality probiotics available. If you are considering a new probiotic you might also benefit from a consultation to help identify the best choice for you. Appointments can be made online. Do you have questions? Send me an email at SouthernMarylandDietitian@gmail.com  Good nutrition & good health is influenced by a lot of things...how we eat, our environment, our genetics, and many other factors. We have all heard about how some things affect people differently, how certain diets affect people differently, and that every BODY is different. We all have a unique genetic make up, and now genetic testing is available to identify which genes we have that affect our weight loss and our aging process. For more information about how DNA affects aging click here. For more information about how DNA affects your ability to lose weight click here. Southern Maryland Dietitian is now offering two Genetic Tests: GxSlim and GxRenew.  GxSlim is a scientifically based weight management program that identifies your unique genetic makeup and then provides diet and exercise strategies that are tailored to your genotype. This is not guesswork, one-size-fits-all or fad dieting of any kind. Gx Slim provides diet and exercise based on your own DNA. Click here for a sample GxSlim report. This test is most useful to people who have healthy eating and exercise habits and would like more specific direction. If you are interested in weight loss and have not yet developed healthy eating and exercise habits Southern Maryland Dietitian can make an individualized plan to help you.  GxRenew is a DNA based healthy aging program that identifies a person's unique genetic makeup and then provides health management strategies that are tailored to their specific genotype. This is not guesswork or some potion. GxRenew provides healthy aging recommendations based on your DNA. Would you like to see what is included in a GxRenew test? Click here for a Sample Report.
Questions? Send an email to SouthernMarylandDietitian@gmail.com or click here to schedule an appointment. 
So a lot of clients have been asking how they can get specific lab tests that have not been ordered by their doctor or that their insurance does not cover. TrueHealthLabs.com allows you to choose which tests you want, to make an informed decision regarding cost, order tests without going for a doctors appointment, and allows for greater participation in your own health care.
Have you used this service? Share your experience in the comments. Questions? Send an email to SouthernMarylandDietitian@gmail.com  One of my clients, Jenifer, has recently had a great experience with Food Sensitivity Testing and Treatment. She has agreed to share her experience so that others can learn more about what to expect.
Here is an excerpt of a recent email exchange: Q: Why did you get tested for Food Sensitivities? A: My digestion was super slow and I had stomach aches all the time. Q: What symptoms did you have? A: Stomach aches, headaches, nausea, bloated, gassy, numbness in hands and feet and face, brain fog, dizzy spells, spastic colon. Q: Do you feel better? A: I feel unbelievably better. Better than I have in 3 years! Q: How has your life changed? A: I have to read every ingredient to be safe, I do not eat out as much, I eat so much more healthier, I feel better every day, no more stomach aches unless I eat something I know I shouldn't. I've learned to eat raw and fresh foods and enjoy them because I know I won't get sick. My family has been very supportive and has seen a positive change in me and my life. Would you like to learn more about Food Sensitivities, Testing, and Treatment? Send an email to SouthernMarylandDietitian@gmail.com What is the LEAP Protocol for Food Sensitivities? Learn more from Susan Linke in this great video. Are you considering Food Sensitivity Testing? Susan Linke explains why the Mediator Release Test and the LEAP Protocol are the best. |
AuthorLisa Hugh, Registered Dietitian. Archives
December 2017
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