Stress Fertility and Low Libido

One of the most notable effects of stress on women is that it can lower libido and make you “lose that loving feeling” - and this certainly does not help with conception.

It’s important to feel in the mood for a little romance with your partner, when trying to conceive. Researchers report that the female orgasm can assist the sperm move into the uterus and fallopian tubes therefore increasing your chances of conceiving.
Low libido is a sign of hormone imbalance and often the trigger is stress hormones leading to imbalances in the reproductive hormones as well as emotional strain.

To read the full article click here

Chronic Fatigue, Anxiety, Mood Changes & Can't Lose Weight? It could be your Thyroid

Chronic Fatigue, tiredness, mood swings and weight gain may be caused by hormones. If your hormones are not ‘balance’, then you may be experiencing symptoms such as depression, headaches, insomnia, chronic fatigue, weight gain and may have difficulty losing weight naturally. Thyroid disease is one of the most common hormonal disorders, after insulin resistance and diabetes. Most women with hypothyroidism have thyroid imbalance (hypothyroidism). A small minority have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). The problem is that the symptoms of low thyroid function is often confused with depression, the signs of aging, or not identified as in the case of Carolyn, Bev and Val. To read full article click here

Chronic Stress Anxiety

Chronic fatigue, anxiety, mood swings and can not lose weight? It could be your thyroid

Chronic Fatigue fatigue, mood changes and increased weight may be caused by hormones. If your hormones are not a "balance", then you can be symptoms such as depression, pain headaches, insomnia, chronic fatigue, weight gain and may be difficult to lose weight naturally. To read full article click here

How Hormones Affect Your Shape

They have the power to make us laugh in delight or weep in despair. But hormones are extremely potent when it comes to the size and shape of your body. To read full article published in Notebook magazine click here

Are Your Hormones Making You Fat?

If you have dieted and exercised in the past only to be disappointed then don't dismay or give up just yet....
Diets and exercise are just two pieces of a complex puzzle of weight loss. Hormones are the key to unlocking your weight loss success!


Hormone Imbalance - The Secret Cause of Weight Gain

It is not common practice to get our hormones checked, but even the slightest imbalances can tip the scales and just make weight loss a futile exercise.

Hormones are often not integrated into diet programs because frankly they are very complex. There are numerous different hormones in the body and these present in over a thousand possible combinations that can affect your health and weight.


Hormones and Your Metabolism
Fat storage or fat burning in the body is dictated by hormones, specifically the hormone Insulin. There are also other hormones that effect and influence your metabolism. It is like a big interrelated web where a subtle increase in one hormone may lead to responses from other endocrine glands that produce other hormones causing symptoms such as fatigue, mood changes, low libido and weight gain to name a few. To read full article published in FeMail click here

How To Be The Woman You Want To Be

The reality of motherhood is that life after a baby means that you really don't have much time. Without spending time on yourself after a while your health, motivation & confidence can dwindle away leaving you powerless.

Many chronic illnesses in mothers go untreated, because symptoms are mistaken for common complaints of sleep-deprivation or tiredness. “Well, you’re a mum” can answer for a lot of problems, but sometimes there is more to the story.

If in 2008 you felt exhausted, depressed with debilitating fatigue, experienced hair loss, and had trouble concentrating you could be suffering from hormonal imbalance. So if you can relate to feeling this way, adopting a simple approach of just eating better & exercising more is not going to be your ‘magic feel better pill’.

To read full article as featured in 'Parenting Australia" click here

Life Style Changes For Weight Loss

Obesity is a chronic health problem which now affects many Australians and contributes to a number of different health problems (eg, heart disease and diabetes).

The increased rates of overweight and obesity in Australia is part of a worldwide trend. Today, over 50% of women are classified as overweight or obese.

The reasons for this increase are complex, but environment and changing lifestyles certainly play significant roles

Obesity is a chronic condition and there is no 'quick fix' treatment that is effective for all overweight women and relapses of weight gain are not uncommon. Lifestyle modification is essential and positive changes in your eating and exercise are essential for sustained reductions in weight. To read full article published in 'Naturally Happy' click here

The Secret to Weight loss

Some hormonal problems can cause your metabolism to slow down, so no matter how well you eat, you still put on weight. Naturopath Narelle Stegehuis has specialised in women's weight for over 10 years.

With a 92 per cent success rate, her online naturopathy clinic Mass Attack has helped more than 10,000 women shed kilos. This meal plan will help prevent, reverse and even get rid of the hormonal problems that are turning your weight-loss journey into a weight-loss odyssey.
To read full article featured in "That's Life" magazine, click here

Stress Less and Lose Weight

Do you remember how you used to feel? You were happy and well with steady energy and emotions. You slept soundly and woke up feeling rested. Your recovery from illness was fast. You maintained a healthy weight without dieting. Now your energy lags during the day, you feel emotionally unbalanced and you sleep poorly. You can't lose excess weight even while dieting. You use caffeine or carbohydrates as pick-me-ups. The message is clear - your adrenals need help! To read full article featured in Nova Magazine click here

Lose Weight With Natural Slimming Plan

"Why am I overweight?"I hear this question every day in practice. And no wonder, given many women struggle with their weight especially around their waist and hips - even if they’re dieting!

Why is this struggle to lose weight happening to us? Why are we losing the battle against weight gain, despite our best efforts? The answer lies in the poorly understood links between hormonal balance and body fat.

But ladies, before we explore these links, let’s firstly put a basic myth to rest – weight control is not just a matter of calorie control and exercise. This myth is untrue, outdated and misleading. It’s time to change our thinking when it comes to weight loss and work together as a team to change an industry which has caused many women to suffer unnecessarily.

Honey, it’s your hormones and you can lose weight naturally!

Understanding insulin, metabolism & body fat is the first step to winning your battle against weight. For many of us, a conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, with lots of processed foods such as pasta, breads, muesli bars, beer and wine, etc. is the norm. Over time, this diet commonly creates a condition known as insulin resistance. The problem with this is that when you are insulin resistant, your body converts every calorie you consume into fat - even if you’re dieting. And it won't let you burn fat when you exercise.

To Find Out If Your Hormones Are Making You Fat Click Here

The second step is the link between stress and body fat. Stress hormones block your weight loss attempts despite eating seemingly ok foods. During prolonged periods of stress your body thinks it should store every spare calorie as fat. Which for most of us, we know it does a very good job at! The problem is, most women are under tremendous amounts of stress – work, relationships, finances & motherhood all add to prolonged levels and without let-up. This leads to adrenal fatigue and rapid, stubborn weight gain.

These first two links work together. Many of us are guilty of combining a high-stress life with a low-fat, high-carb diet. Unfortunately, this creates such a powerful hormonal imbalance that weight gain is unavoidable. A third link is estrogen. As the estrogen production of your ovaries falls, (it’s something that happens as we age) - your body turns to secondary production sites, including body fat and skin. If your body is struggling to maintain its hormonal balance, body fat becomes more valuable, so it becomes reluctant to give it up! Of course, if you are stressed and on a low-fat diet, your body is struggling & it becomes even harder to lose weight.

A fourth link is the cravings created by our ‘refined food’ chain. Refined foods make it difficult for your body to maintain optimal blood sugar and serotonin levels. This means you ‘crave’ snacks and caffeine to make yourself feel better. The down side of this cycle is that they only exacerbate your insulin resistance and adrenal exhaustion - while adding body fat.

My philosophy on weight control is based on solid research & what has worked in my practice over the last 10 years. It is this knowledge that we wish to share with you.

You can’t lose weight to get healthy - you have to get healthy before you can lose weight. By healing your body and restoring balance in your life, you will achieve and maintain your ideal weight forever.

Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is a practicing Naturopath specializing in the research and development of natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances, which have contributed to such symptoms as weight gain, cravings, anxiety and mood swings. Uniquely for patient convenience her programs are also offered via the Internet. She is both an accomplished wrier and recent recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006. Narelle can be contacted at info@massattack.com.au