Dr. Alison Beach, Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Clayton Bostock, Naturopathic Doctor
Dr. Faren Brogan, Naturopathic Doctor
Have you tried to lose weight but no matter how hard you try it just will not come off quickly enough or you hit a plateau? If this is the case then Dr. Beach, Dr. Bostock and Dr. Brogan can help you not only lose the weight, keep it off, but feel great in the process. When we think of weight loss we are generally told to simply decrease calories and increase exercise, but this does not work for a lot of people. At Thompson Valley Naturopathic Clinic, weight loss begins by screening for conditions that may predispose to the inability to lose weight. Such conditions may include hormone imbalance, insulin resistance, and/or food allergies.
Some of the main hormone imbalances that predispose to weight gain or the inability to lose weight include hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), estrogen dominance, 
testosterone imbalance, perimenopause, menopause, and high stress causing a cortisol imbalance.
Clinically we are seeing increased rates of hypothyroidism. The main symptoms of hypothyroidism include cold intolerance, weight gain, constipation, fluid retention, fatigue, hair loss and/or dry skin. In our medical system the standard screen for thyroid is thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). However, TSH is only the signal from your brain to your thyroid, not your active thyroid hormone. To appropriately diagnose and treat hypothyroidism it is also important to determine your levels of free T4 and free T3 which are your actual active thyroid hormones. Time and time again we see normal TSH levels with lower than optimal levels of free T4 and/or free T3. If your free T4 and/or free T3 are not optimal, losing weight is generally very difficult.
Estrogen dominance is another hormone imbalance that can impede weight loss. Estrogen dominance is a condition where the body is producing or being exposed to too much estrogen, or when there is not enough progesterone to balance out the estrogen. Symptoms of estrogen dominance can include PMS, breast tenderness, uterine fibroids, anxiety, depression, water retention, heavy periods, weight gain and headaches.
Perimemopause and menopause are also conditions that can inhibit weight loss. Perimenopause and menopause are natural biological processes whereby a woman’s ovaries decrease in function leading to a significant decline in the production of sex hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. This decline can not only include symptoms of hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, and depression but also promotes more fat storage than fat burning. The main areas of fat storage are usually the abdomen, gluteus (butt), and thighs.
Weight Loss Programs
At Thompson Valley Naturopathic Clinic there are a few options for weight loss plans depending on what the patient’s goals are. Most patients are able to lose 15 to 25 lbs in 30 days. All weight loss plans are doctor supervised. All plans begin with and our monitored by body composition testing using Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA). BIA is one of the most accurate and convenient methods of determining body composition and is used to track a person’s fat mass, muscle mass and hydration status.
