Once you’ve identified those physical areas of your body where you are holding weight and the chakra and emotions tied to them, you can use a few affirmations as part of your natural weight loss plan to help unblock the energy and release the excess weight.
The following affirmations are from Hormone Revolution:
Healing Chakra Affirmations
Use these affirmations for any of the chakras that you believe are blocked. These can be easily used and repeated for a few minutes each day.
First Chakra: I feel safe and secure in the world around me. All of my needs are satisfied.
Second Chakra: I have plentiful reserves of energy that nourish my femininity and my creativity.
Third Chakra: I handle my life with calm and self-confidence.
Fourth Chakra: I am a vehicle for love. I give and receive love and joy in all of my relationships.
Fifth Chakra: I express my thoughts, needs, and desires honestly, freely, openly, and completely.
Sixth Chakra: I see the world around me with perfect clarity. I trust my intuition as well as my intellect to guide the choices I make.
Seventh Chakra: I live every day of my life according to the spiritual beliefs I hold and cherish.
When your chakras are out of balance, the areas that are most commonly affected seem to be the upper abdominal or solar plexus region, the lower abdominal and pelvic area, hips, thighs, chin, breasts, and upper chest. These are often the areas of your body where you tend to accumulate excessive amounts of energy or focus your emotions and life experiences too strongly.
If you tend to gain weight in your hips and/or thighs, your first chakra is being affected. That is associated with stability and security.
If you tend to gain weight in your belly, below your belly button, your second chakra is being affected. That is associated with sexuality and creativity.
If you gain weight in your abdominal area above your belly button, that is your third chakra. That is closely associated with self-esteem.
If you gain weight in your breasts, that is your fourth chakra and it is associated with love and nurturing. Finally, if you gain weight in your face (think double chin), you are talking about the fifth chakra. That is associated with self-expression.
This always rings true for me. I know when I need to start a natural weight loss plan when I notice that my pants are fitting a little too snugly and my face is looking full. And, more often than not, I am also dealing with issues of stifled creativity and self-expression.
Think about those areas that you tend to hold weight and ask yourself if you are experiencing any of the emotions tied to that chakra. You can then take steps not only to implement a few natural remedies for weight loss, but also some tools to address the emotional issues you are experiencing.
Just when you thought your years of acne breakouts were decades behind you, blemishes (zits) can show back up at any time—and they can break through regardless of how well you care for your skin. So what causes these annoying and embarrassing flare-ups?
The answer is simple. It’s the same reason you broke out in your teens—hormones and stress.
Acne actually forms deep in your hair follicles. Each of those tiny “micro-hairs” on your face has a hair follicle—which secretes sebum, an oily mixture that keeps your skin moist. This all works perfectly, until times of hormonal changes (like menopause), or stress comes along.
Unlike other menopause symptoms, which are often due to changes in your female hormones, such as your estrogen levels, with acne, you can blame the male hormone androgen.
During hormonal changes, your body starts to produce more androgen, which changes the pH of your skin. This change causes those sebaceous glands in your skin to produce too much sebum, resulting in acne.
While you may be tempted to use over-the-counter treatments formulated for teens on your adult acne, we'd recommend you don't. Most of these products contain unnatural chemicals that Dr. Lark never recommends using on your skin. Plus, these creams can irritate your skin even more, causing additional or worsened flare-ups.
There are several excellent, natural skin care products on the market that can help clear up adult acne—safely and gently. Here are our top picks for clear, blemish-free skin:
For Clearing-Up Pimples and Blemishes: Take a look at
ThermaClear. This hand-held device uses Thermal Pulse Technology™ to deliver a controlled burst of heat to individual pimples, clearing them up in as little as 24 hours.
To Treat Whiteheads: Try the
Badescu Drying Lotion , which is the secret the stars use for flawless skin. It heals and dries blemishes overnight.
For On-the-Go Touch Ups: Devita's
Essential Control for Blemishes contains an all-natural blend of rare essential oils that fight acne flare-ups. What’s nice is that it comes in an easy to use roll-on, so there’s no mess.
To Prevent Breakouts Before they Happen: Dr. Lark recommends a blend of salicylic acid, aloe vera gel, and witch hazel which you can find in Devita's
Acne Solution Pads. These pads gently clean deep into your pores, removing acne-causing dirt and make-up—so blemishes don’t erupt.
The bottom line is you shouldn’t have to put up with adult acne. These natural skin care solutions can help you enjoy clear, blemish-free skin every day.
#10: Bioflavonoids
Like
wheat germ (which contains the mildly estrogenic vitamin E), bioflavonoids are mildly estrogenic. The potency of bioflavonoids is so low that they have no side effects for most women, yet they are powerful enough to balance estrogen levels and relieve menopause hot flashes and vaginal dryness. In one study of 94 women, a bioflavonoid/vitamin C combination was effective in controlling hot flashes for most of the women.
The best food sources of bioflavonoids are citrus fruits, cherries, grapes, papayas, green pepper, broccoli, buckwheat, and tomatoes. Since I generally recommend avoiding acidic foods such as citrus fruits, I usually suggest that menopausal women use bioflavonoid supplements--750-2,000 mg per day.
Here we are, February 2nd. How’s your new year’s resolution going? Are you still on track? If not, the problem may be emotional as well as physical.
In our book Hormone Revolution, Dr. Lark and I discuss chakras (Sanskrit for wheel), specialized energy centers located at seven different points throughout your body. Many centuries ago, the yogic tradition of ancient India described the presence of these specialized spiritual-energy centers in the body. They called the centers prana, and believed that the flow of this subtle energy through them was strongly affected by your personality structure and your emotions, as well as by your state of spiritual development.
Interestingly, all seven chakras are individually linked to neurological synapses (ganglia), small nerve bundles that operate like little brain centers. Each chakra processes and remembers different emotional events and traumas that have occurred to you throughout your life. In fact, you can even store specific types of emotional memories in these centers.
This might explain why different types of emotional distress seem to affect one part of the body more than another. Often, when you have trouble dealing with the emotions and feelings associated with a particular chakra, the resulting constriction of energy flowing into the gland or body part also connected with that chakra can become bloated, swollen, and enlarged.
For many women, this can manifest as “problem areas” where excess weight tends to accumulate—parts of the body that are resistant to losing weight, even with the most stringent natural weight loss plan. In fact, sometimes women lose weight in every place but these areas.
#9: Dong Quai
Dong quai is another yin-supportive nutrient that helps to balance estrogen levels. It has been used for thousands of years as a female health tonic to prevent or treat menopause symptoms—especially hot flashes and irregular menstruation.
I recommend that you take dong quai in powdered form in a 500 mg capsule. Take two capsules two to three times per day. (However, you should avoid it if you are on a blood thinner.)
#8: Royal Jelly
In traditional Asian medicine, health and well-being are believed to be a balance of two equally important, but opposing, principles—yin and yang. Yin is associated with attributes such as femininity, receptivity, calmness, coolness, and moisture. Yin also regulates the fluids, blood, and tissues of your body, as well as its structural components, including flesh, tendons, and bones. Yang, on the other hand, is associated with masculinity, aggression, heat, and dryness. It also regulates your body’s energy, which acts as the spark plug to your structural elements.
In younger women, this balance seems to be maintained almost effortlessly. But maintaining an optimal yin-yang balance becomes much more difficult once you reach middle age and menopause, when it’s common to experience symptoms such as menopause hot flashes, night sweats, tissue dryness, insomnia, and mood swings. In Asian medicine, these menopause symptoms occur, in part, because yin becomes deficient. But in Western medicine, these bodily changes are explained by the decline in estrogen—which, coincidentally, is a yin-like element.
To restore your yin--and, as a result, balance your estrogen levels--you can take a variety of yin-supporive herbs. One such supplement is royal jelly, which has been used for centuries to balance female hormones, promote reproductive health, and ease menopause symptoms. Take 1/4 teaspoon of the liquid form of organic royal jelly twice a day.
Have you ever had one of those days where your mind just didn't feel in the game? That would have been me last week. First, I went to throw a paper towel away and ended up throwing my keys into the trash can. (So fun digging them out!) Then, I realized that my sweater was on backwards. On top of that, I felt like I just couldn't remember anything.
My monthly friend was going to be visiting last week, so I started to wonder if this lack of mental focus could be related to level of female hormones, which would be starting the fluctuate. I consulted some past issues of Dr. Lark's newsletter
Women's Wellness Today and sure enough, found that there is indeed a connection between mental acuity and estrogen levels.
Most often, brain fog appears when hormone levels start shifting. If those shifting hormone levels return to a balanced state, the brain fog often clears. Luckily, that was the case for me. I got my period, and the fog seemed to lift.
For many women, muddled thinking or brain fog is one of the more common menopause symptoms. As a woman’s estrogen levels decline, cognitive function can certainly decline. So, if your mental focus has not returned, what can you do? Dr. Lark has lots of recommendations for keeping your mind sharp. To read them,
click here.
#7: Red Clover
Like soy, red clover contains phytoestrogens (estrogen-like plant compounds). Using phytoestrogens is a great way to balance estrogen levels and reduce bothersome menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
According to a review of five studies published in
The American Journal of Medicine, red clover helps to significantly reduce the frequency of menopause hot flashes. You can learn more about red clover
here.
I suggest taking a standardized extract that contains 40 mg of total isoflavones.
#6: Black Cohosh
I have talked about
black cohosh in this blog numerous times (
here and
here) because I believe so strongly in its ability to provide powerful menopause relief and balanced female hormones.
In more recent black cohosh news, according to a study in the March 2003 issue of the journal Maturitas, specific formulation of black cohosh, known among researchers as “CR BNO 1055,” has been found to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors—completely eliminating the hot flashes in nearly half of the women.
Black cohosh also builds bone strength as effectively as estrogen, and it decreases vaginal dryness. In conventional review studies, black cohosh is the one therapy that is universally named as the most effective for hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings--and overall balancing of estrogen levels.
I suggest taking taking 80–160 mg of a standardized extract of black cohosh twice a day. This dose should contain 2 to 4 mg of the active components (triterpenes, calculated as 27-deoxyacteine). One good brand to try is Bionorica’s Menopret.
#5: Soy isoflavones
Soy is a hormone substitute that provides a safe, estrogen-like effect in your body to balance your female hormones.
Soybeans contain active compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen produced in your body. Soy contains two phytoestrogens--genistein and daidzein, which belong to the class of chemicals called isoflavones. Asian women eat much more soy products than most American women, whose isoflavone intake is very low. This was confirmed in a study published in the Lancet, which found that Japanese women who regularly ate a range of soy products had 100 to 1,000 times more isoflavone breakdown products in their urine than Western women. Additionally, menopausal women in Japan are rarely troubled by symptoms such as hot flashes.
In the meantime, for menopause relief and balanced estroten levels, take 50–100 mg of soy isoflavones each day, either through foods or isoflavone capsules, or a combination of both. If you are allergic to soy, or if it causes you digestive upset, then avoid consuming it entirely.
#4: Cobalt
Cobalt is a little-known nutrient with exciting potential in balancing estrogen levels and reducing menopause symptoms.
Cobalt slows down the excretion of estrogen, thus allowing you to better maintain your production of estrogen, as well as that of supplemental estrogen. It does this by stimulating the production of heme oxidase. This, in turn, promotes the breakdown of cytochrome 450, a substance that normally metabolizes and detoxifies estrogen. By breaking down this substance, cobalt helps to prevent estrogen metabolism and excretion.
Cobalt can reduce night sweats, insomnia, hot flashes, depression, mood swings, and memory loss. I recommend 400–500 mcg a day. In addition, research has shown that cobalt is supplied in your body by B12. If you have adequate amounts of B12, you are likely to have adequate amounts of cobalt, as well. So, you can also take 100–500 mcg of vitamin B12 a day.
Avoid sugar, sugar is the devil, sugar makes you fat…how many times have we heard these statements? We all know that sugar is bad for us. But did you know that sugar also wreaks unbelievable havoc with your skin? Not only does it dry it out (a huge issue for women with decreased estrogen levels), but it also contributes to acne (an issue for anyone with estrogen dominance).
I can remember as if it was yesterday (okay, it was yesterday), looking in the mirror and seeing a pimple, clear as day on my forehead. What am I, 12? You’ve got to be kidding me!
I then thought back to what I had done the day before. I remembered the handful of grain-sweetened chocolate chips I had eaten. And the grocery store-brand of “energy” bar. I have also had a particularly stressful week, with lots of deadlines and personal events. The result? Acne.
Refined sugar and foods high in sugar all overstimulate your sebaceous glands and can trigger excess oil production. This excess oil production creates acne.
Additionally, refined sugar can also contribute to blood sugar imbalances, which can worsen symptoms of anxiety and stress. This in turn leads to breakouts. Plus, sugar depletes your store of B-complex vitamins, which help to balance your mood, energy, and anxiety level.
Is it any wonder I broke out?
Whether you are looking for menopause relief and softer, wrinkle free skin or are estrogen dominant and want to avoid acne breakouts, do yourself a favor and go sugar-free. Your skin will thank you.
According to Dr. Lark, there are a number of spicy foods that can actually rob your skin of moisture. Interestingly, many of these foods also increase menopause problems such as hot flashes and night sweats, so there are many benefits to striking these foods and spices from your menu.
On the food front, you’ll want to take a pass on caffeine, alcohol, and refined sugar. Sugar in particular has vasoconstrictive effects, which causes decreased circulation to the skin. This is a no-no for anyone looking for wrinkle free skin care.
On the spice front, ginger and hot spices like chili peppers and cayenne pepper are particularly drying. Opt instead for soothing spices like basil, mint, or my favorite, herbes de province.
By removing these problematic foods and spices from your diet and adding in the essential fatty acids I discussed earlier this week, you can employ natural anti aging skin care tips that not only taste great, but give you beautiful, soft skin.
I was recently pulling nutritional information regarding fast food restaurants for another project. While I was intrigued to see that there are, in fact, several items that you can find at several different fast food restaurants, I was mortified by the number of calories, fat grams, and sugar in the majority of the choices available on their menus.
Of course, this shouldn't be all THAT shocking...I mean, we ARE talking fast food. However, what appalled me the most was the kids menu for
Burger King. With the exception of the BK Fresh Apple Fries, everything for kids contained wheat and red meat and/or dairy.
That aside, the most offensive thing was a double cheeseburger...on the KIDS menu? What child needs to eat a
double cheeseburger?
And when you break down the nutritional information, the numbers are shocking! It contains 770 calories; 51 grams fat; 2.5 grams trans fat; 1,480 grams sodium; and 30 grams carbs. An adult would do well to avoid these numbers, let alone a growing child.
No wonder we have an obesity problem in this country. If we are feeding this type of food to our children, what are we feeding ourselves?
If you are looking for natural remedies for weight loss, you would do well to start with smart choices. If you must rely on fast food for some of your or your families meals, then go in prepared. If possible, choose Starbucks or Subway...those are your best bets with the greatest variety of choices to support natural weightloss.
If McDonalds or Burger King are more realistic options for you, then order salads and apple slices for dessert. Choose water over juice or soda. These types of meals will fit into any natural weight loss plan.
The key here is to instill healthy food choices in your children by leading by example. Let them know fast food is okay on occasion and help them choose those foods that are good for them...and their waistline.
Over the last year Dr. Lark introduced her readers to 3 different natural weightloss solutions--
Metabo-X,
Daily Balance Silhouette, and
TonaLean-3. Each of these solutions contains studied ingredients that have been shown to help weight loss efforts, as part of a natural weight loss plan that includes a healthy diet and exercise program.
Recently, I've received some customer emails asking for help in deciding which solution was best for them. So, I asked Dr. Lark to write about this in her free Women's Health Update e-letter.
If you don't already subscribe, you can read the full text of Dr. Lark's e-letter on weight loss
here. You can also sign-up to receive future Women's Health Update emails
here.
If you are interested in creating moister, softer skin and shinier hair, then you need to become well acquainted with essential fatty acids (EFAs). The moisturizing effect of these oils can help to replenish the moisture content in women with diminished estrogen levels, namely women at midlife and older who tend to have drier skin to begin with.
The get the best natural skin care Mother Nature has to offer, reach for foods that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These include coconut, flaxseeds, raw nuts and seeds (especially almonds and pumpkin seeds), olives and olive oil, and of course cold-water fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, or halibut. Daily consumption of these natural skin care ingredients should be part of any natural anti aging skin care program.
While this may seem daunting at first glance, it’s really quite easy to incorporate these delicious natural skin care ingredients into virtually every meal:
Breakfast:
-
Add salmon and diced veggies to scrambled eggs for an easy frittata.
-
Mix two tablespoons of ground flaxseed into your favorite smoothie.
-
Use coconut milk-based yogurt in place of soy yogurt.
Lunch/Dinner:
-
Top any salad with tuna or salmon.
-
Use olive oil or macadamia nut oil to top salads or steamed vegetables.
-
Serve fish as your main course two to three times a week.
Snacks:
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Grind raw flaxseeds, almonds, and cashews to create a delicious spread for apples or celery.
-
Swap your favorite protein or energy bar for a coconut bar.
-
Make a trail mix with ½ cup raw almonds, ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds, ½ cup unsweetened coconut, ½ cup dried blueberries, and two teaspoons cinnamon. Place all ingredients in a Ziploc bag, seal, and shake to blend.
#3: PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid)
PABA is a fat-soluble B vitamin necessary for the production of folic acid. Studies indicate that PABA helps to safely and effectively impede the breakdown of estrogen and other hormones in the liver. In addition, studies show that higher levels of PABA can help reduce menopause symptoms like vaginal dryness and decreased sex drive.
If you suffer from menopause symptoms and need to balance your estrogen levels, I suggest taking 400-500 mg of PABA a day in divided doses.
#2: Boron
Boron is a trace mineral found in apples, grapes, almonds, legumes, and leafy green vegetables like kale. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there is evidence that boron enhances estrogenic activity, therefore balancing estrogen levels in those women who are deficient. There is also anecdotal evidence that boron reduces menopausal hot flashes. Furthermore, boron is critical in the fight against osteoporosis.
To help balance estrogen levels, take 3 mg of boron daily.
When your body starts entering menopause, your estrogen levels begin to become unbalanced. This can lead to many unpleasant symptoms--many of which I have discussed here, including hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
I liked Kimberly's list of decadently healthy foods so much that I decided to create my own list of my top 10 recommendations to balance estrogen levels. In each of my next several posts, I will give you a new recommendation. Today, let's start with:
#1: Wheat GermWheat germ oil is rich in vitamin E, which has mildly estrogenic properties. It has been shown to increase estrogen production, which can alleviate debilitating menopause symptoms. I suggest taking 2,000–4,000 mg a day of wheat germ oil in divided doses. A good brand to try is
Standard Process.
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