Are you an apple or a pear?

Author: Dr. Michelle Durkin on 16 May 2017

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. But did you know there are two common shapes that tell the secret of which hormones are making you sick, tired, and overweight?

Where you distribute fat is under hormonal control.

Research done on thousands of athletes and over many years, by world famous Olympic trainer and coach Charles Poliquin, has uncovered this secret. By doing caliper measurements on seven different areas of the body Poliquin could immediately determine which hormones needed to be balanced in order for the athlete to lose body fat, gain muscle, and improve performance.

So why does this matter? You're not an Olympic athlete.

You can take advantage of this information too. If you know which hormones you need to focus on balancing, you can feel great, feel strong, and lose a few pounds along the way.

The 2 basic shapes most people present with are the apple and the pear. 

If you are an apple you tend to carry all of your extra weight in the middle. You may have normal, or even skinny, arms and legs but a bigger belly. The hormone out of balance in this scenario is likely insulin.

People who have the classic apple body appearance tend to do well on a nutritional program that focuses on significantly reducing sugar and grain-based carbohydrates while increasing protein and good fats.

If you are a pear, you tend to carry all of your extra weight in the legs, thighs, and buttocks. This is a classic estrogen dominance presentation.

People who have the classic pear body appearance tend to do well on a nutritional program that focuses on liver and gut detoxification, as well as avoiding possible food intolerances.

Regardless if you are an apple or a pear, a good first step is a simple detoxification program that gets you eating nutrient dense, real food, instead of empty carbohydrates.

Need some help? Join our 2 week group detox starting Tuesday May 23rd. You will receive instructions on what to eat, what to avoid, how to take your detox medical food, and email support daily. For more information see my previous post, It's spring detox time, OR call the office at 613-966-9660. You can also sign up by calling the office. Sign up deadline is Friday May 19th at noon.

Now I would love to hear from you, are you an apple or a pear? What is one change you can make to your diet today that can help you balance your hormones so that you can feel better? Leave a comment below and I'll be back next week with another edition of Doctor as Teacher Tuesday!

2 Replies to “Are you an apple or a pear?”

Tara McCrostie

I seem to carry in my mid section as well in my arms and back..

Dr Michelle Durkin ND

Hi Tara!
That’s makes you more of an apple. Weight gain in the arms & back can also indicate carbohydrate intolerance.

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