“Hormones are the most potent chemical messengers in our bodies. Think of them like the WiFi connection, the ‘send’ button, the thumbs up, the ON / OFF switch.”
Hormones, produced by our endocrine glands (i.e. adrenals, thyroid, pancreas and ovaries or testes), are essential for maintaining our overall health and well-being, because of their roll in communicating warnings and messages throughout the body in order to keep everything running smoothly. When our endocrine system is out of balance the sooner we can respond, the less likely we are to suffer chronic issues.
Symptoms:
Weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in hair, skin, and nails are some of the most common symptoms of an imbalance.
Causes:
Root causes of hormonal imbalances include compromised gut health, high inflammation, excessive stress, and being a perimenopausal or post-menopausal woman.
Strategies for Balancing Hormones:
There are times we need to see our doctor and implement a pharmaceutical plan for dealing with a specific hormone imbalance, while the following thoughts are a safe way to improve our overall endocrine health any time.
Eat Strategically: Minerals (zinc, selenium, magnesium, and calcium) and enough healthy fats are extremely important for healthy hormone production and metabolism. Hormones like leptin, thyroid, testosterone, and insulin et al, all are impacted by our caloric balance, so we need to make sure we are eating enough, but not too much. Consider varying the amount of carbs and timing of time restricted eating (more on TR here), so the body doesn’t down-regulate hormone production! Slow movement, sprints and strength training don’t require extra carbs, but if we are training long and hard we might need a bit more.
Prioritize Sleep: Sleep loss impacts the pituitary gland, which is the master endocrine organ. We’ll want to start out the day with bright natural light and then limit light after dark. Special glasses that block the blue and green lights can make a difference. We will sleep better in a cold dark room, so keep the temp down and use an eye mask, if needed. With sleep…quantity AND quality matter!
Analyze Routines: Increasing our daily movements (housework, gardening, playing with kids etc.) improve hormone balance. In postmenopausal women, sitting increases estrogen metabolites that are associated with breast and endometrial cancer, while the more men sit the lower their testosterone. Consider making workouts shorter and more intense. Mark Sisson writes about his friend, Brad Kearns, who more than doubled his free testosterone simply by lowering his aerobic base heart rate from 145 to 130. Both cold and heat exposure improve insulin sensitivity, so try cryotherapy and/or a sauna (For more on cryotherapy go here and here. On sauna here.).
Manage Stress: Chronic stress disrupts our endocrine system! For example, it interferes with testosterone production and reduces thyroid hormone production. Increasing our magnesium levels can help reduce the feeling of stress (more here), as can creative practices (more here). Considering the level of “margin” we’ve designed in our day is key too (more here). Live purposefully…finding our energizers, while confronting our “stress mode”, positively impacts our endocrine health. Self-care is not a bad word!!
Photo by Behzad Ghaffarian on Unsplash
Consider making small changes that can make a big difference in our health through their impact on our endocrine system!
Wendy Dellis is a certified wellness coach. She joins years of training and work in the area of behavior change, experience as a fitness instructor and run club coordinator with a passion for adventure and people. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Jay, and two sons.
Mother’s Day with my mom.
The information contained on this page is for general information purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical or healthcare advice, but only topics for discussion. No physician-patient relationship exists; please consult your physician before making changes in diet or lifestyle.