Lorraine Maita is a triple board-certified physician specializing in functional, integrative and anti-aging medicine. She is the author of Vibrance for Life: How to Live Younger and Healthier. The self-professed “Hormone Harmonizer and Detoxifier” has been featured on national media outlets, including ABC News and Forbes. She has served as chief medical officer at Prudential Financial, medical director of The Pfizer Health Leadership Team and medical director of North America for Johnson & Johnson Global Health Services.

Maita maintains a medical practice in New Jersey and is the CEO and founder of The Feel Good Again Institute, which offers do-it-yourself courses, supplement protocols, strategies, resources, coaching and live classes focusing on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, weight loss, gut health, detoxification and improving the healthspan. The institute aims to provide health education and self-care options for those that cannot afford or do not have access to functional medicine.

 

What is a hormone imbalance?

If any hormone level is off, you’re going to feel off. For example, high cortisol levels can drive down other hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and the thyroid hormones, causing elevated blood sugar, blood cholesterol and blood pressure; weight gain; puffiness; fatigue; and forgetfulness. In women, estrogen dominance during PMS and perimenopause occurs when progesterone is low or absent, leading to anxiety, irritability, insomnia, weight gain, tender breasts, fibroids, irregular bleeding and physical aches, among other things. Those are just two examples of imbalances.

 

How do you treat hormone imbalances?

We always start with lifestyle changes, including diet, exercise and stress management, which help normalize cortisol levels, allowing other hormones to balance naturally. Initially, I’ll run tests to measure the levels of everything, and then we’ll start an elimination and detoxification diet to reduce inflammation, the root cause of illness. I may also add herbs and supplements to decrease inflammation, heal the gut and detoxify the liver.

After this process, 80 percent of people feel good to great. For those that don’t, further investigation into the gut microbiome, mold, metals, infections or other inflammatory diseases may be needed. During menopause or late perimenopause, when eggs are depleted, progesterone and estrogen production may decline, necessitating hormone replacement therapy, as well.

 

What are the effects of hormone balancing, and what do patients report?

People that have their hormones balanced will tell me, “I got my life back. I feel strong. I feel like myself again.” They report significant improvements in their lives, including weight loss, increased energy, clearer mental focus, stabilized mood, restored libido and clearer skin. Many experience relief from symptoms like gas, bloating, reflux and body aches. They feel younger and healthier.

 

What advice do you have for people that have trouble sticking to lifestyle changes?

Small changes can make a big difference. As you start getting accustomed to what you’ve changed and you add another and another and another, before you know it, it becomes a habit. And once it becomes a habit, you don’t even think about it anymore.

Once people experience the benefits, they often feel motivated to maintain the changes. But setbacks are normal, and it’s important not to be too hard on yourself. The approach isn’t a strict diet or structure but rather a lifestyle with built-in routines for movement, sleep, work and eating. Aiming for 80 percent adherence most of the time is sufficient.

 

Can you explain your detoxification protocol?

From the time you’re born, toxins accumulate in your fat and bone marrow, and even if you follow a clean lifestyle the effects of toxins can worsen, especially when women start to lose bone in menopause, because those metals and toxins start coming out.

To detoxify, you need to move your bowels every day. You need exercise to release toxins when you sweat and carbon dioxide when you breathe deeply. You need to hydrate to flush toxins through the kidneys. When you exercise the muscles, you bring toxins into your lymph system, which then get pumped into your bloodstream and liver to get detoxified.

Gradually switch to cleaner personal care, food and cleaning products to reduce toxin exposure. Women especially are exposed to 160 to 200 toxins per day just in their personal care products. So just as you run out of things, switch to something cleaner and more natural because it unburdens your liver so that it can then detoxify hormones and toxins.

I tell people to hydrate, poop logs or snakes every day, and get some vigorous exercise where you’re sweating, breathing heavily and pumping your muscles so that you get rid of toxins. I also like saunas.

 

What advice do you have for people taking conventional drugs for high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar?

Too much cortisol raises your blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels. Stress can stimulate your body’s stress reaction, causing cortisol to go up, and that’s why many people are overweight and have high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol.

We can measure cortisol very easily. If your cortisol is too high, that’s a wake-up call to change your lifestyle and slow down. Sometimes people need permission to say I don’t have to do absolutely everything on my to-do list and drive myself crazy.

Getting enough good-quality sleep is also important. Too many people get to bed too late. They’re on their tablets and phones, and all that blue light disrupts their hormones, so they don’t get a deep sleep, which is where you repair, rejuvenate and restore health, and also restore your hormones. Learning some simple nighttime habits like dimming the lights, using blue light blocking glasses and no late-night snacking will have a huge effect, and for most people these are easy to do.

 

What is your metabolic reset weight loss program?

The metabolic reset is an intense diet program designed to quickly boost metabolism, resulting in rapid weight loss. It involves a low-calorie, low-fat and low-carb diet, with women losing an average of half a pound per day and men losing about a pound per day. The program typically lasts around 40 days, though some people achieve their goals sooner. It also helps lower cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Due to its stringent nature, it should be done under supervision. The approach is not too low in calories to cause muscle loss or too high to prevent weight loss. People find it effective when other methods have failed, and most maintain their weight loss, although some regain weight due to unforeseen circumstances like injuries or life changes.

 

What advice do you have for people that struggle with cravings?

Sugar is as addictive as cocaine, and just like any addiction, you have to stay away from it long enough to stop the cravings. My “15-minute rule” is that you have to distract yourself for 15 minutes to forget about the cravings. Supplements like L-glutamine can help, but the best approach is a minor withdrawal period, such as two weeks, to diminish cravings. It’s both a mental and physical challenge, akin to addiction withdrawal, where abstinence is key.

Healing the gut will also help to eliminate cravings. Processed foods and simple carbohydrates promote yeast growth and cravings, while fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats support beneficial bacteria. Our approach combines detoxification, elimination, a healthy diet and sleep to make gut healing a habit.

 

What advice do you have for maintaining a healthy exercise routine?

Everybody says they don’t have enough time to exercise, but I say: “Do you have seven minutes?” There’s an app for the phone, the 7 Minute Workout, that combines high-intensity interval training with exercises that use your own body weight. It’s all about getting past the resistance of doing something. I usually get my exercise in the morning.

In-between seeing patients, I’ll go up and down the stairs, or I’ll do squats in place to squeeze some movement in wherever I can. Try to do something every day and dedicate three or four days a week to exercise. Don’t put up barriers. You don’t have to go to the gym. You don’t need equipment. Walking is free. Doing squats is free. Holding two cans that have weight to them is free. It’s becoming creative and weaving it into your day in a way that doesn’t disrupt it.

 

What are simple daily steps that will lead to big changes?

Start your day with a little exposure to daylight and some movement. Consume lean protein, more vegetables and up to two fruits daily. Avoid late snacking and bright lights at night to ensure a good night’s sleep. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet by avoiding sugar, simple carbohydrates, ultra-processed foods, saturated fats, trans fats and hydrogenated oils. Increase fiber intake for better digestion. Stay hydrated.

 

When it comes to making lasting changes, what comes first, the emotional or the biological?

It depends on the person. The biological will drive the emotional and the emotional will drive the biological, and that’s why having a good night’s sleep is important. When you’re tired, you’re going to crave more. When you’re tired, you’re going to be less inclined to move or develop healthy habits.

Each person’s driver is going to be different, and that’s why I do this quick process where we can change the biology enough so that you have more energy and clarity and decreased cravings so you make better choices. Some people can work with their psychology. I definitely love meditation and affirmations and visualizations. Start wherever it’s most comfortable for you.

 

Sandra Yeyati is the national editor of Natural Awakenings.

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