How Hormones Affect Your Overall Health

Hormones do not just play an important role in reproduction but they are also essential to your overall physical and mental health. Every part of your body has its own function and hormones travel through the bloodstream, basically working like chemical messengers, telling each body part and organ what it has to do.

How Hormones Work

The endocrine system consists of glands that produce and secrete hormones. Those hormones are then used for different body functions, such as respiration, metabolism, growth, sensory perception, movement, and sexual development. Hormones work at a regulated and slow pace, signaling to body tissues what they are supposed to do, how to do it, and for how long to do it.

The Main Hormone-Producing Glands

Different hormones are responsible for different tasks. The most common hormone-producing glands are:

  • Pituitary gland: This gland controls the activity of many other glands and also produces our growth hormone.
  • Parathyroid gland: It controls the use of calcium in our body.
  • Pancreas: This glandular organ produces insulin, which controls the body’s sugar level.
  • Thyroid gland: It controls the heartbeat and dictates how calories are used.
  • Adrenal gland: These glands produce stress hormones and control the libido.
  • Pineal gland: It controls our biological clock, regulating our sleep by producing melatonin.
  • Ovaries: The ovaries secrete estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, all found in female sex hormones. Estrogen is responsible for the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, while progesterone prepares the body for conception and helps maintain a healthy pregnancy.
  • Testes: These male reproductive glands produce sperm and testosterone. Insufficient testosterone can lead to impotency and loss of bone mass, among other abnormalities.

Hormonal Imbalance

When the endocrine system functions normally, it works with other systems of the body to regulate our development and overall health throughout our lives.

You are probably aware that hormones can go off-balance. This happens when there is either too much or too little of a specific hormone in the bloodstream. This can be caused by several factors such as aging, illness, genetics, medical conditions, or external elements. Since hormones play such an important role, even the slightest imbalance can cause adverse health issues. The symptoms you may experience will depend on which hormone is off-balance. If you think that your hormones may be out of balance, you should consider a at home hormone testing kit to get a precise idea of your blood levels.

How to Balance Hormones

When our hormone levels are balanced, it helps the body to fight off various diseases and illnesses and maintain good health. Luckily, there are ways to restore hormonal balance. The methods suggested by the nutritionists at https://mor-nutrition4life.com/ tell us to use natural means to balance hormones and treat underlying causes rather than just managing the symptoms of hormonal imbalance. These methods mainly address the five most common issues; weight gain, inflammation, fatigue, female hormonal imbalances, and digestion.

A natural approach will inform you about which foods to avoid and which ones to add to your diet, and it will also explain how many calories you should consume daily so that you can balance your hormones. Following certain exercise routines and engaging in stress-reducing activities are also key elements of that approach. In conjunction with these lifestyle changes, you can consider taking supplements to help restore the balance.

Symptoms and Causes of Hormonal Imbalance

 

Depending on which hormones are off-balance, you can experience a range of symptoms. Common hormonal conditions that affect both men and women may lead to various symptoms such as:

  • Weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Change in bowel movements
  • Decreased libido
  • Weight loss
  • Increased thirst

Some other symptoms are particular to women, which could include irregular or heavy periods, vaginal dryness, or excessive facial hair. Many symptoms emerge during menopause.

Some underlying medical causes of hormonal imbalance could be:

  • Chronic stress
  • High blood sugar levels
  • Chronic insomnia
  • Diabetes (type 1 or 2)

Effects of EDCs

Sometimes, we can face hormonal imbalances because of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals can be found in the soil, air, water supplies, food sources, personal toiletries, and manufactured products. They can disrupt and interfere with the work of the endocrine system, causing hormonal imbalances. Since EDCs can come from various sources, people can be exposed to them in several different ways. The air we breathe and the food we consume can contain EDCs. The personal care products we use can also cause EDCs to enter our bodies through our skin.

Fluctuating hormone levels are a fact of life. You are likely to experience hormonal imbalances at one point. The symptoms can be rather uncomfortable, but fortunately, there are ways to control this imbalance and get your hormones back on track. Some factors that cause imbalances, such as aging, cannot be controlled. However, with many other factors, keeping your hormones at a healthy level is in your hands.