Researchers have discovered that your stomach's appetite signal, ghrelin, can also turn on gene signals that result in accumulation of stomach fat. The study means that rather than doing crunches to flatten your stomach, spend more time getting your appetite under control and your stomach is likely to shrink.

Ghrelin is required for normal health and a normal appetite. It is a hormone signal that is released in your stomach, in turn signaling your brain. It also signals the activation of growth hormone in your body, which is vital for overall rejuvenation and anti-aging. In other words, a normal appetite is required for good health.

On the other hand, once leptin resistance sets in and excess weight is gained, ghrelin signaling becomes compromised. It becomes excessive and loses it proper timing and rhythm. This leads to a routinely excess appetite signal, making you eat too much food.

The new research shows that ghrelin also signals the fat cells the are in your abdominal area. The researchers demonstrated that excessive grhelin activated a variety of protein that favored abdominal fat storage, including acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, lipoprotein lipase and perilipin.

The bottom line is that once these genes and proteins are activated then calories are headed for your stomach to be stored in fat. To stop this process, stop your excess appetite. This can be done by following the Five Rules of the Leptin Diet, exercise, and using dietary supplements like pine nut oil that help keep your appetite in check. As your appetite system gets under control and learns to stay that way, expect to see your stomach shrinking.