Lose 15 lbs in two weeks!

One top doc says that simply by pampering overworked adrenal glands that pump out stress hormones, we can shrink our waists, double our energy and transform our health!

Feeling overwhelmed, overweight and drained of energy? “Up to 90% of women feel the same way to some degree,” reveals Yale Integrative Medicine Advisory Board’s Aviva Romm, M.D. And while many doctors blame junk food, lack of exercise or aging, Dr. Romm says they’re missing the mark. The main culprit: Stress! “Studies show women experience more physical effects of stress than men. We’re juggling so much these days, we become stressed beyond our natural ability to bounce back.” And since stress hormones trigger cravings and spike fat storage, stress-related weight gain is inevitable. A team including researchers from Yale and the University of California even found proof that stress-prone women have significantly larger waistlines! The good news: “When you give your body the ingredients it needs to recharge your batteries”—also known as your adrenal glands—“it can make a huge difference. Many women lose 10, 12, 15 pounds in the first two weeks without restricting calories or carbs,” she reports. “It’s so gentle, and yet it works wonders.” Here’s everything you need to know to use Dr. Romm’s “adrenal cure” to zap stress and transform your body . . .

send blood pressure and blood sugar soaring. “This gets extra oxygen and fuel coursing through your system in case you need it,” she notes.

● How do adrenals cause weight gain?

Our adrenals are triggered not just by real danger but also by mundane modern stressors—like screaming kids, traffic, bills, telemarketers—“so our stress response may never turn off,” Dr. Romm says. We crave carbs to keep blood sugar up—yet mostly it gets stored as fat. Constant high blood sugar irritates our insides, leading to inflammation that impairs thyroid function, cellular metabolism, brain function—and even becomes a stress trigger itself. Stress hormones damage muscle, causing metabolism and stamina to drop further. The domino effect continues, and we gain more and more easily.

The adrenal gland perched atop a kidney like a little cap.

● What’s the easiest fix? Using blood tests to monitor stress hormones in patients, Dr. Romm found simple dietary changes make a remarkable difference. The key: taking a break from food that spikes blood sugar or worsens inflammation. Instead, you eat your fill of options loaded with nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3s and antioxidants—which help “soothe our adrenals, steady blood sugar and fight inflammation.”

● I don’t count or measure?

Nope. The whole point here is to minimize stress—and studies show restricting calories or carbs triggers stress hormones. Pay attention to your body and stop eating when you start to feel full. Slip up? Just aim to do better next time!

● What about exercise?

“Intense workouts have the same stress-inducing effect as carb deprivation,” says Dr. Romm. So skip them! But do stay active. A great idea to try: Before dinner, dance to your favorite music for 15 minutes. Studies show this simple trick quickly improves levels of stress hormones—and may relieve stressrelated insomnia right away!

● Anything else I should know?

“You need at least seven hours of sleep every night to reset hormone levels and release toxic waste that builds up in your brain and body all day,” she says. “Once you’ve discovered how wonderful it is to be well-rested, I bet you won’t miss watching TV before bed!”

“It worked for us!”

“I was already a healthy eater, so I was surprised by how much my stress dropped as I used Dr. Romm’s plan,” says Oregon nurse Heather Shelton, 42, down 15 pounds in 28 days. “I felt better right away— even though I have three teenagers and work in an emergency room!” Meanwhile, California nurse Shannyn Marlen, 38, tried Dr. Romm’s plan for relief from fatigue and achiness. To her surprise, she shed a size in just two weeks. “I used to rely on dairy for protein, which I now know makes my body say ‘ouch!’ ” she says. “On this plan, you’re just making little changes, but you’re giving your body a chance to see how it feels to be well. I can tell you from experience that it feels really good!”