Overcoming Leptin Resistance

OVERCOMING LEPTIN RESISTANCE

After a long day of intense work, the sky began to darken. He needed to turn on the light to see the keys of his computer. For someone who had always worked with paper, researching on a computer was indeed a bit challenging. But he was willing, and he was having a lot of fun. It felt good to explore things again, like the excitement of elementary school, after so many years. However, he had one problem: he needed to explain everything he understood to someone else. This had always been the case for him. It was his professional ailment.

“Mr. Yaşar, the table is ready! Come and rest!” Mrs. Gülseren called from the kitchen, a timely invitation indeed.

Mr. Yaşar made his way to the dining table, kissing his daughter and wife on the cheeks before settling down. Though Mrs. Gülseren was trying to stick to her diet, she had started to indulge a bit more lately, even preparing cookies just for him. Mr. Yaşar remained unfazed as he scooped salad onto his plate, generously drizzling it with vinegar. Mrs. Gülseren had yet to adapt to this systematic approach to eating.

“Mr. Yaşar, how do you manage to keep yourself in check? I’m amazed! You’ve made incredible progress. I can’t resist; I always start with the main course. The more I eat, the more I want. I never feel full. To ensure my salad doesn’t feel left out, I wrap up with it at the end,” she joked.

“Are you really wrapping up with salad?” he replied, prompting laughter from the table.

“Well, what can I do? I can’t get enough! Why am I always hungry after we get up from the same table? You’re already full even before you sit down! It’s like you’re photosynthesizing like a plant, living off your own fat.”

“Exactly! I’m living off my own fat, thanks to the leptin hormone,” Mr. Yaşar explained.

“What’s this leptin hormone? Is it a medication? I wish they could give me some!” she replied, intrigued.

“No, it’s not a medication; it’s a hormone that naturally exists in our bodies,” he clarified.

“Leptin is a hormone released from fat tissue that signals the brain when we are full. It’s often referred to as the satiety hormone. When it’s active, we feel satisfied, helping us control our appetite and preventing us from feeling overly hungry. It is low when we need to eat and high when we shouldn’t be eating, released into the bloodstream exactly according to our needs. It begins to rise in the evening and peaks around 3:00 AM, then declines by the next afternoon.”

“What a wonderful hormone! Do I not have it?” she asked, half-joking.

“Of course, you do! In fact, women have more than men. However, the more we eat and gain weight, the more resistance we develop to leptin. It may increase, but it becomes ineffective, similar to insulin resistance. This is why leptin cannot create a feeling of fullness, so it fails to do its job.”

“Why does this resistance develop?” she inquired.

“Imagine I keep eating; the body tells me to stop with leptin, but I force myself to eat anyway, leading to continuous leptin release. Eventually, the body begins to ignore leptin. When leptin’s effectiveness diminishes, ghrelin, the appetite hormone, takes over, making us hungrier. Processed snacks we consume in between only complicate the situation.”

“Could you repeat those hormones, Mr. Yaşar?” she requested.

“Hormones regulating satiety and appetite” he replied.

It seems we are digging our own graves. Our hormones are also at odds with each other, trying to take each other's place. Instead of feeling full, we end up making ourselves even hungrier.

Hande, their daughter, chimed in to steer the conversation:

“If we didn’t interfere, our bodies would have such a beautiful harmony with nature. They adjust our hormones, eating habits, and feelings of hunger and fullness based on daylight and our resting hours. When we disrupt this balance, we become ill. Diabetes and high cholesterol knock at our door. Those who are out of sync knowingly jeopardize their health.”

“Exactly, Hande. Do you know where leptin was discovered?” Mr. Yaşar asked.

“Where?” she replied, curious.

“From bears.”

“Bears? What does that have to do with anything?” she questioned.

“Bears hibernate during winter, gaining significant weight. During their hibernation, leptin activates, allowing them to burn fat for energy. They can sleep through winter without feeling hungry. Some bears even give birth during this time, emerging from their dens in spring with a healthy cub, looking fit.”

“It highlights the importance of harmony, Dad. Clearly, hormones help living beings adapt to life. Those that are harmonious, like bears, emerge unharmed and vibrant. Those who adapt well enjoy a more dynamic and robust life,” Hande observed.

“Exactly, my girl.   You’ve made an excellent point. You can see the difference between your father and me. One of us is in harmony with our body and nature; the other is not. You’ve rejuvenated, while I seem to have declined! You could replace me with someone younger!”

After some laughter, she said, “Don’t exaggerate! This is something everyone can do. You should try it too and see the difference!”

“Will it work for me too?” Mrs. Gülseren asked.

“Absolutely! The truth is, it works for everyone. Dad achieved this with a realistic method; you can too,” Hande reassured her.

“Okay, then! I should put away my cookies for after dinner!” Mrs. Gülseren replied, lightheartedly.

Another family dinner came to a close. But this time, the kitchen was closing as well because Mrs. Gülseren decided to pay more attention to proper nutrition.

Experiential Design Teacing says: The real human excels.

Real nutrition is part of this truth. Eating in alignment with reality makes a person more vibrant and healthier.

Experiential Design Teaching is a science of reality that shapes the future with past experiences. It teaches the methods that individuals need to solve their problems and reach their goals.

It offers strategies to people who want to be happy and successful with the programs "Who is Who", "Mastery in Relationship" and "Success Psychology".

“What can "one" person matter among billions of people?

Ask that “one” person for the answer!”

 

Yahya Hamurcu