Hormones
and weight loss after pregnancy
A
woman in labor goes through untold ordeals but when she finally
delivers the baby, the feeling is surely unsurpassed by anything
else in the world. However gratifying pregnancy might be it cannot
be denied that post pregnancy a woman has to deal with multiple
issues such as weight loss, weight gain, mood swings, menstrual
issues and endless other conditions. Of these, the relationship
between hormones and weight loss after pregnancy is of particular
interest to this discussion.
The
hormone cycles post pregnancy:
It
is common knowledge that hormones are the main cause for the
changes taking place in the human body; especially post pregnancy
fluctuating hormones can result in multiple problems - weight
loss being one of them. Women experience high and low levels
of hormones such as Estrogen, Progesterone, Thyroid and Androgens.
Mainly it is the overactive thyroid, a condition known as hyperthyroidism
that causes excessive weight loss in women post pregnancy.
Understanding
hormones and weight loss after pregnancy:
It
is important to understand that the body has gone through pregnancy
and requires 5-6 months to get back to its normal self. It is
normal to experience weight loss or weight gain post pregnancy.
A good diet, moderate physical activity and regular breast feeding
are three important components to ensure hormone related weight
loss is normal post pregnancy.
Hormones
are produced by the pituitary gland and the production of thyroid
hormones result in the unexplained weight gain or weight loss
in women, as stated earlier, hyperthyroidism needs to be dealt
with in a medically approved manner to deal with weight loss
during pregnancy. This can be treated by regular medical help.
Breastfeeding
influences hormones and weight loss after pregnancy:
Ensuring
that hormones do not influence drastic weight gain or weight
loss post pregnancy is very important for the health of the
women who have delivered. Women need to take breastfeeding seriously
to ensure that they are not plagued by hormone related weight
loss. Breastfeeding not only keeps issues of weight at bay but
also assists the woman in preventing risks such as the metabolic
syndrome, post partum bleeding, ovarian and endometrial cancer,
diabetes and other such conditions.
In
conclusion:
Post
pregnancy is a busy time for the mother, it is critical to ensure
that weight loss does not take up all of the very little time
that is on the hands of the mother. Regular and moderate exercise,
supervised diets, stress free living and breastfeeding the infant
are the best ways to keep hormone related weight loss issues
at bay.
|
