Women Wired for Wellness hosted by Dr. Nisha Chellam Dr. Nisha Chellam

High functioning depression is a condition being increasingly seen by psychiatrists.
Imagine that friend who is very successful and seemingly has it all. A perfect example is Kate spade who seemed successful on the surface and just like that with no one expecting it she took her life.
This discussion is to bring awareness to this condition and also to seek the right kind of treatment and solution.
As always any questions or follow up reach out to me at drchellam@holisticicon.com

3 Hormones That Prevent Weight Loss
Thanks to the modern sedentary lifestyle, obesity is one of the most common public health issues these days. A common complaint from people these days is unstoppable weight gain. Almost 42.4 percent of adults in America are overweight. 
From the obese population of the U.S., half of them are at a high risk of developing chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Along with this, the modern lifestyle has also normalized stress, increased fatigue, and brain fog—conditions people try to live with; till they can’t take it anymore. 
If you are someone with weight loss issues, facing fatigue and memory loss, wondering why you aren’t losing weight, this blog is for you. You will learn about specific hormones that you should get checked first thing while facing weight loss issues, understand their function and dysfunction, and how to resolve it. 
In this blog, we’ll be delving into three hormones that might be contributing to your weight gain:
Leptin 
Adiponectin 
Cortisol
Grab a pen and notebook, and let’s get started!
Please note that the following hormonal imbalances are not limited to morbidly obese individuals—they can be observed in skinny-fat individuals with a normal BMI too. 
 
Hormone #1: Leptin
The first hormone is produced by the fat cells called leptin. The function of this hormone is to signal the brain to regulate appetite.
Back-story: The food you eat provides glucose to the cells of your body to produce energy. This glucose in your blood is transported to the cells via a mediator called insulin. 
Now, in the modern life of abundance, people tend to eat more than what their cells need, so there's always some extra glucose left in the blood. Insulin stores this extra glucose in the liver and muscles. Even after that, if there's still some excess glucose, new storage called adipocytes (fat cells) is created. These adipocytes also have endocrine functions: the production of the leptin hormone.  
 
What is the function of the leptin hormone?
The leptin hormone signal the brain to stop sending the hunger signal to the body when there is excess energy in the cells.
Nevertheless, having a lot of leptin is not actually a good thing. Your levels of leptin go up indicating that your fat cells are increasing. When your fat cells increase, they take up most of the glucose from the blood; glucose that the body cells need to produce energy. As the body cells are deprived of glucose, the brain gets the signal to increase the hunger cue; resulting in incessant hunger and overeating. 
This turns into a condition called leptin resistance. The most common abnormality with people who gain weight but have normal blood glucose is leptin resistance. 
The high levels of leptin not only affect the brain but also the beta cells in the pancreas—increasing fat storage, insulin levels, and insulin resistance. 
All of this drives up inflammation. 
 
How do you know if you have leptin resistance?
You probably have leptin resistance if you:
Wake up with no hunger and go hours without the first pang of hunger hitting you in the middle of the day
You feel hungry till bedtime, even after eating.
You face a lot of difficulties losing weight. 
 
Ways to resolve Leptin Resistance:
Intentional Fasting: This fasting cycle intends to shift your metabolism—shifting the use of energy from glucose or carbohydrates to the utilization of fat through a process called ketosis. As this shift happens, your leptin resistance starts to go down. Leptin resistance can be handled by postponing your first meal and preponing your last meal. To practice Intentional Fasting:
Stop eating after dinner. 
Avoid bedtime snacks. 
Have dinner three hours before bedtime. 
If you feel the hunger before bed for the first few weeks, drink a little water. 
After waking up, break the fast around midday, but check the ketose level before doing that.
Caloric Deficit: Lept

3 Healthy Diets for Diabetes Patients and Prediabetics
 
There’s no one diet that fits all. This is why there’s an abundance of various diets out there that deliver different results. The question is—which one is sustainable for you? How can you shift your health?
This blog will answer the infamous question—what to eat when you’ve been diagnosed with Diabetes or Metabolic Syndrome?
Nutrition is the core pillar of how you shift your health. Yet it’s also a complex question to answer, even after the tons of research done about it already.
As you keep reading, you will learn about the science behind:
The Plant-based Diet
The Low-carb High-fat Diet
The Carnivore Diet 
Let’s dive right into it!
 
The Plant-based Diet
A plant-based diet consists of foods that are only obtained from plants. It includes everything from fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, to nuts, seeds, and beans.
No animal-sourced or processed foods. Going on a plant-based diet is not equivalent to going vegan.
This diet has been a part of the nutritional world and has been studied extensively in the field of nutritional sciences since the 1940s. 
 
Why should you go on a plant-based diet?
More Sustainable: As Dr. Dean Ornish said, “It takes 10 times more energy to eat higher on the food chain i.e. when you're eating animal-based food as opposed to a plant-based diet, it takes ten times more resources to make that possible.” The plant-based diet is good for your body and the planet.
Scientifically Proven Safe: There’s countless evidence to support the benefits of the plant-based diet—culturally and scientifically. Research shows that countries that eat mainly plant-based have less mortality rates and a lower ratio of chronic diseases that are relatively high around the Western world with an abundance of animal-based protein.
Helps in Lowering High Cholesterol: The plant-based diet is proven to lower bad cholesterol levels from about 15% to 30% as it is relatively low-fat and removes oil from the diet.
Good for Heart Patients: This diet is confirmed to be good for the heart as eating multicolor, leafy food, and fiber can reduce the risk of stroke, and lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Beneficial to people with Metabolic Syndrome: The plant-based diet has demonstrated efficiency in lowering each of the five risk factors—high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, abdominal fat, and high triglyceride level—for developing metabolic syndrome. It also helps in the prevention of metabolic syndrome with the removal of oils and processed food from the diet.
All in all, plant-based diets are designed to get to the root cause of the disease and shift your health on a diet-and-lifestyle level.
When causality is treated with plant-based nutrition there is:
No mortality from the diet
No morbidity from the diet
And the health benefits improve with time.
If you have been eating predominantly the Standard American Diet (SAD), the easiest transition into a healthy lifestyle with a safer diet is going plant-based.
 
Foods included:
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grains
Legumes
Seeds
Nuts
 
Foods to avoid:
Oil
Meat
Fish
Fowl
Dairy
Coffee
 
Loopholes in the Plant-based Diet 
Even though there are numerous benefits to the plant-based diet, people still tend to fail in seeing results or sticking to it. 
Especially for diabetics, the transformation is slow because when you have high insulin resistance, getting the blood sugar down at the start is very difficult and takes a long time. 
Reasons:
People may not have involved a variety of plants in their diet.
People may not have stopped consuming oils totally.
They might consume too many fruits, dried fruits, and grains that increase sugar surges and don’t help with overcoming sugar addiction. 
Involving too many fruits and fewer plants can lead to severe insulin resistance.
They are gluten-sensitive. 
 
The Low-carb, High-fat Diet (LCHF)
The low-carb,

Reverse Diabetes With Plant-based Vegan Diet
Whenever we hear of disease, medicine is always ready as a cure. We know that particular medicine will tackle the problem at hand but what we miss out on is - what are the other direct effects of the same medicine. Medicines can never be the long-term solution.
Diabetes is a very big problem in today’s time. But here’s a fact, you can reverse type 2 diabetes with a plant-based vegan diet. And here’s another fact, when it comes to diet, there is no diet fits all. However, a type of diet can work wonders for you. The question is- are you willing to make the change? Are you ready to make the shift?
 In this blog, we will discuss:
WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?
WHAT IS A VEGAN DIET?
HOW DOES THE VEGAN DIET WORKS FOR DIABETICS?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A VEGAN DIET?
HOW TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF A VEGAN DIET?
KETO DIET AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Before we dive into the blog and delve into all the information, first let us know about someone who has had Type 2 diabetes for a very long time but has been able to live a medication-free healthy life for the past eight and half years now, Marc Ramirez. He is a B.S. Kinesiology, is a TEDx presenter, motivational speaker, and certified Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Marc and his wife Kim run a non-profit called Chickpea and Bean, which helps all people achieve health through the healing power of plants.
In 2011 Marc made a shift to a plant-based lifestyle and his health greatly improved. He reversed Type 2 diabetes, psoriasis, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol, obesity, frequent heartburn.
 WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?
Type 2 diabetes is often characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and a relative lack of insulin. It is a chronic condition that results in more than the required amount of sugar circulating in the bloodstream.
In type 2 diabetes, there are two interrelated problems. 
Your pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin (a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells)
Hence, the cells respond poorly to insulin and take in less sugar 
Managing type 2 diabetes is very much possible. By losing weight, eating well and exercising regularly you manage your blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar levels can lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous and immune systems. 
WHAT IS A VEGAN DIET? 
A person who follows the diet of abstaining from the consumption of animal products is called a vegan and the philosophy is called veganism. There are multiple distinctions between Vegans.
Dietary vegans, also known as "strict vegetarians" avoid consumption of meat, eggs, dairy products, and any other animal-derived substances.
An ethical vegan, also known as a "moral vegetarian", not only follows a vegan diet but also extends the philosophy to the treatment of other humans, and opposes the use of animals for any purpose.
"Environmental veganism", refers to the avoidance of animal products and opposes the industrial farming of animals as it is environmentally damaging and unsustainable.
In simple terms, a Vegan diet is a diet exclusive of animal and dairy products and inclusive of only plant-based products. This means no cow milk, no eggs, no chicken, no meat, no cheese. A vegan diet is full of while fruits and vegetables along with legumes and nuts. 
 
Vegans in the USA have been increasing at a very high rate. More and more people are shifting to a plant-based diet. People have realized that their diet plays the most important role in maintaining a healthy and problems free life. 
 
If you follow a healthy vegan diet, you are less likely to get heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, cholesterol. 
 
Studies have also shown that vegans are less likely to be overweight and tend to have a lower percentage of body fat. Thus, reducing the risk of other chronic diseases.
 
However, a vegan diet has proved to

Effect of Mercury Exposure on Your Health

Mercury is a metal element that naturally exists in nature as found in air, water as well as soil. Its presence starts to impact our health if it gets in direct contact with this metal through breathing, intake or physical contact. This can then lead to various neurological, cardiovascular (heart-related), digestive, hormonal as well as dermatological (skin-related) issues.
 
The last 50 years have seen an evident rise in the level of mercury exposure, a big contributor being the industries using coal as fuel which when burned releases mercury in vapour form thus inevitably making it a part of our direct ecosystem. It has subsequently caused a tremendous rise in medical cases with harmful mercury exposure at its root.
 
In this blog we will delve deeper to understand this phenomenon of mercury exposure, how it happens, what are its signs, what can you do to reduce it and more. Let’s get started, shall we?

What is Mercury Poisoning?
 
Mercury is a natural metal found in the air, water and soil and is also commonly referred to as Quicksilver. It’s found in a thick, silver-shining liquid state under standard temperature and pressure. However, it can also vaporise and be inhaled by us as well as bind with certain molecules (especially all enzymes) causing serious issues in our biochemistry and subsequent metabolic problems.
 
High levels of mercury in our body can really harm the body systems especially the brain and kidneys leading to a condition called Mercury Poisoning. Mercury most commonly enters our body in a vapour state via inhalation of contaminated air, intake of contaminated food or getting in through our skin if it gets in direct contact.
 
Factors that determine the impact of mercury exposure on your health
 
The impact of mercury exposure on your body depends on:
How much mercury gets into your body?
In which forms has it entered your body?
How did the mercury get into your body?
How long have you been exposed to mercury?

How does mercury poisoning affect our health?
An abnormally high level of Mercury in our body may have significant negative impacts on our overall health, especially our brain, heart and gut health.
 
It’s observed that its impact are even more dangerous for babies and children since their brains are still under development.

What are the signs of Mercury exposure on your health?
 
Abnormal levels of mercury exposure may lead to detrimental impact resulting in both short-term as well as long-term signs such as below.
 
Short-term signs of unhealthy mercury exposure
Severe respiratory irritation
Digestive disturbances
Marked renal damage
Memory loss
Impaired hearing, vision, speech
Tremors
Lack of coordination (while walking, writing etc.)
Skin issues
Difficulty in chewing and swallowing
 
Long-term signs of unhealthy mercury exposure
Deteriorates nervous system
Weakness
Fatigue
Anorexia
Weight loss
Disturbance of gastrointestinal function
 
If not identified and treated on time, it might also manifest itself into or worsen certain diseases and health conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer's, colitis and even cancer.

What are the common sources of mercury exposure?
 
Mercury exposure commonly occurs in two ways:
 
General Exposure
 
Large predatory fishes (like shark, tuna, swordfish etc.)
Dental amalgam used for fillings that contain mercury
Vegetables & fruits from contaminated soils
Soaps & cosmetics
Use & damage of mercury-containing products (eg. batteries, fluorescent lamps)
Waste
 
Occupational Exposure
 
Manufacturing products containing mercury (eg. medical devices, paints, fluorescent lamps)
Gold mining
Industry (eg. cement production, metal production, Chlor-alkali industry)

How to get tested for Mercury level in your body?
 
The most common tests done to access mercury exposure in our body are urine and hair tests. However to get a more precise analysis of its presence in our tissues.

What can you do to reduce the r

3 Healthy Diets for Diabetes Patients and Prediabetics
 
There’s no one diet that fits all. This is why there’s an abundance of various diets out there that deliver different results. The question is—which one is sustainable for you? How can you shift your health?
This blog will answer the infamous question—what to eat when you’ve been diagnosed with Diabetes or Metabolic Syndrome?
Nutrition is the core pillar of how you shift your health. Yet it’s also a complex question to answer, even after the tons of research done about it already.
As you keep reading, you will learn about the science behind:
The Plant-based Diet
The Low-carb High-fat Diet
The Carnivore Diet 
Let’s dive right into it!
 
The Plant-based Diet
A plant-based diet consists of foods that are only obtained from plants. It includes everything from fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, to nuts, seeds, and beans.
No animal-sourced or processed foods. Going on a plant-based diet is not equivalent to going vegan.
This diet has been a part of the nutritional world and has been studied extensively in the field of nutritional sciences since the 1940s. 
 
Why should you go on a plant-based diet?
More Sustainable: As Dr. Dean Ornish said, “It takes 10 times more energy to eat higher on the food chain i.e. when you're eating animal-based food as opposed to a plant-based diet, it takes ten times more resources to make that possible.” The plant-based diet is good for your body and the planet.
Scientifically Proven Safe: There’s countless evidence to support the benefits of the plant-based diet—culturally and scientifically. Research shows that countries that eat mainly plant-based have less mortality rates and a lower ratio of chronic diseases that are relatively high around the Western world with an abundance of animal-based protein.
Helps in Lowering High Cholesterol: The plant-based diet is proven to lower bad cholesterol levels from about 15% to 30% as it is relatively low-fat and removes oil from the diet.
Good for Heart Patients: This diet is confirmed to be good for the heart as eating multicolor, leafy food, and fiber can reduce the risk of stroke, and lower high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Beneficial to people with Metabolic Syndrome: The plant-based diet has demonstrated efficiency in lowering each of the five risk factors—high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, abdominal fat, and high triglyceride level—for developing metabolic syndrome. It also helps in the prevention of metabolic syndrome with the removal of oils and processed food from the diet.
All in all, plant-based diets are designed to get to the root cause of the disease and shift your health on a diet-and-lifestyle level.
When causality is treated with plant-based nutrition there is:
No mortality from the diet
No morbidity from the diet
And the health benefits improve with time.
If you have been eating predominantly the Standard American Diet (SAD), the easiest transition into a healthy lifestyle with a safer diet is going plant-based.
 
Foods included:
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grains
Legumes
Seeds
Nuts
 
Foods to avoid:
Oil
Meat
Fish
Fowl
Dairy
Coffee
 
Loopholes in the Plant-based Diet 
Even though there are numerous benefits to the plant-based diet, people still tend to fail in seeing results or sticking to it. 
Especially for diabetics, the transformation is slow because when you have high insulin resistance, getting the blood sugar down at the start is very difficult and takes a long time. 
Reasons:
People may not have involved a variety of plants in their diet.
People may not have stopped consuming oils totally.
They might consume too many fruits, dried fruits, and grains that increase sugar surges and don’t help with overcoming sugar addiction. 
Involving too many fruits and fewer plants can lead to severe insulin resistance.
They are gluten-sensitive. 
 
The Low-carb, High-fat Diet (LCHF)
The low-carb,