part0009

In addition to the many benefits of Superfoods that have already been mentioned, consuming Superfoods will also fix most of your hormone imbalance... if you have one.

I have a low thyroid. Side effects of this are tiredness, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, and an intolerance to cold. Since I changed my diet and switched to Superfoods, I can report that I feel much better, I have more energy, and I'm losing weight without any problem.

Processed food can disrupt your hormone balances, causing your metabolic rate to be decreased, meaning that you might frequently over-eat because the mechanism that should signal that you ate enough is not working properly. Your natural mechanisms for fat burning might be disrupted because of hormone imbalances.

You might not be gluten-intolerant, but you should think about excluding whole wheat for a while, just as a test. Even if you're not having gluten intolerance, you might be better off with some other whole grain food.

Refined grains are a high glycemic food. They stimulate the production of insulin – your body’s fat-storing hormone. The more bread, pasta, cereal and flour you consume, the more likely it is that you will be overweight.

Even if you switch to non-gluten food, remember that most commercially prepared gluten-free foods are no better than their “super-gluten” counterparts. Most of these foods are highly processed and contain chemicals and preservatives. Gluten-free packaged foods, such as bread, pasta, cookies, crackers and cakes, typically have just as high of a glycemic index as their wheat-based counterparts (e.g. they use refined rice flour). Basically, they harm your blood-sugar regulation system just as much as wheat does. The same goes for make-at-home baking mixes. Not to mention the bread and dessert recipes on most “gluten-free” food blogs.

I'm using quinoa/brown rice/oatmeal/buckwheat (all non-gluten food and all non-commercially prepared) as the whole grains that are a part of my diet. Whole grains are low on the glycemic index, meaning they are absorbed slowly and can help you feel full longer. If you switch to whole grains, it should help with fixing your hormonal imbalance and you won't feel hungry during the day. More on wheat and gluten later.