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Ask most people what they know about hormones, and they’ll instantly start chattering about estrogen and testosterone. But did you know there are actually about 50 different hormones in the human body? All of them play important roles in your health and in normal bodily function.

For instance, the stress hormone cortisol helps your body function optimally in times of stress. And sleep hormone melatonin regulates your sleep patterns and wards off disease.

But when it comes to hunger and your eating behaviors, the hormones ghrelin and leptin are responsible for telling you when you feel hungry, and when it’s time to stop eating.

What happens to your body when ghrelin and leptin are off-balance? If ghrelin is off-balance, you’ll either feel hungry all the time, or never. If leptin is off-balance, you’ll either overeat, or not eat enough.

Imbalances in ghrelin and leptin can lead to junk food cravings and overeating. It can also increase your risk for weight gain and obesity.

Over time, those who struggle with weight gain and obesity can eventually develop a resistance to ghrelin and leptin, and make poor nutrition choices as a result. So, what can you do to regulate these hunger hormones?

Start Exercising Regularly

Exercise helps regulate all the hormones in your body—including leptin and ghrelin.

Start exercising on a regular basis and pretty soon you’ll find yourself thinking about things other than food. When you do become legitimately hungry, you may find yourself “craving” healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. These types of cravings are totally normal, and occur naturally as your body’s hormones start shifting back into balance. Pretty cool, right?

Get More Sleep

A large percentage of Americans still underestimate the importance of sleep. Lack of sleep won’t give your body the time it needs to heal itself and produce hormones important to your health.

Do whatever it takes to improve your sleeping environment as needed to promote a good night’s rest—whether it involves buying a set of blackout curtains to keep out noise and sunlight, or new sheets that keep you comfortable. After YEARS of trying different bed sheets, I finally found my favorites: these super soft 1800 Egyptian sheets by SONORO KATE during warm-weather months, and these warm and cozy flannel sheets by Eddie Bauer during cold-weather months.

Another thing—take a look at your bed frame, too. If it’s made out of metal or toxic materials, you may need to replace it with a non-toxic alternative made from solid wood or bamboo.

If you’re still having problems falling asleep, ask your healthcare provider about melatonin supplements. Melatonin is available as a natural sleep aid to help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep longer.

Top-rated melatonin supplement brands:

• Life Extension Melatonin IR/XR Capsules – Immediate and Extended-Release
• Vimerson Health – Melatonin Valerian, L-Theanine and Turmeric
• Nordic Naturals – Zero Sugar Melatonin Gummies
• Herbatonin® – The First Natural Plant Melatonin
• Mary Ruth’s Sleep Gummies – Melatonin, Lemon Balm, and L-Theanine
• Puritan’s Pride – Melatonin

All of these are good brands, but I usually stick with Puritan’s Pride Melatonin because it’s highly affordable and their website offers insanely great deals all the time, like Buy 3, Get 3 Free, and others like that.

Eat Healthy, Whole Foods

Most processed foods are loaded with junky and fake ingredients that contribute to imbalances in ghrelin and leptin. If you can, stop buying boxed and packaged foods, and eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and sources of lean protein.

Whole foods are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and a wealth of other nutrients that can naturally balance your hormones. Processed foods usually lack nutritional value, and contain additives and preservatives that promote weight gain.

Ghrelin and Weight-Loss Surgery

Weight-loss surgeons say that cutting away the portion of the stomach that produces ghrelin can reduce your hunger cravings. This type of bariatric surgery is called sleeve gastrectomy, or the gastric sleeve. It removes up to 80% of the stomach fundus, which is the rounded, dome-shaped part of the stomach.

The concept of sleeve gastrectomy never made sense to me. What does the body do when it realizes it can’t produce ghrelin anymore? How does it compensate? Can it lead to malnutrition?

Can the absence of ghrelin cause other health problems? In a 2020 issue of Springer Nature, researchers found that only 41% of people who get sleeve gastrectomy can keep their weight off for at least 10 years, while the remaining 59% usually end up gaining their weight back.

Another study in a 2008 issue of Endocrinology says a decrease in ghrelin can prevent your body from relaxing naturally, and that it also increases your risk for high blood pressure.

Hmmm…would you rather exercise and eat healthier foods, or risk it with bariatric surgery? I know which one I’d pick!

The Takeaway

When you research this topic across the web, the general consensus among healthcare providers is that regulating leptin and ghrelin can contribute to weight loss. This can be achieve with regular exercise, quality sleep, and great nutrition.

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Content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical treatment.