Vilma Brunhuber, Holistic Integrative Nutrition and Health Coach
Hormone issues have increasingly become more a focus of health discussions because they affect men and women throughout their lives, and keeping hormones balanced should be a health priority.
If you have symptoms like:
- fatigue,
- skin issues,
- weight gain,
- weight around the middle,
- trouble sleeping,
- depression
- fibroids
- unusual menstrual period patterns
- PMS,
- endometriosis,
- infertility,
- PCOS or other issues,
chances are you have hormone imbalance! That applies to woman and men.
What are Hormones?
Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They are secreted directly into the blood, which carries them to organs and tissues of the body to exert their functions.
There are two major types of endocrine hormones: Steroids and peptides.
Steroids are generally sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. These are created from cholesterol in the ovaries and testes, and their imbalances can create havoc with mood, attitude, health, sterility, maturation, and even gender identification.
Peptides are more concerned with regulating blood sugar and sleep cycles. Examples are insulin for regulating sugar and melatonin for ensuring sound sleep. Thyroid hormones are peptides that tend to regulate metabolism in general.
There are many types of hormones. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including:
– Growth and development
– Metabolism – how your body gets energy from the foods you eat
– Sexual function
– Reproduction
– Mood
– Maintenance of body temperature and thirst
Photo courtesy drjulissa.wordpress.com
The endocrine system is a complex system that we will probably never completely understand, but there are some basic things you can do to boost your body’s ability to create and balance hormones:
Tips how to prevent and restore hormonal balance:
– Choose fats like coconut oil, real butter, olive oil (don’t heat!) and eat lots of high Omega-3 fish.
– Replace coffee with herbal teas. Too much caffeine can wreak havoc on the endocrine system
– Cook in glass or non-coated metal pans (no non-stick or teflon!) and avoid heating or storing foods in plastic. Find organic produce and meat whenever possible and don’t use chemical pesticides or cleaners
– Make sure you get enough sleep and rest
– Focus on relaxing exercises like walking or swimming and avoid the extended running and cardio. Intense extended exercise can actually make the problem worse in the short term
– Short bursts of heavy lifting, squats, lunges can be beneficial since they trigger a cascade of beneficial hormone reactions
– Eat Some Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is amazing for hormone health.
Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live in.
I would love to hear about your experiences.
You can find suggestions on
my website www.vilmaswellness.com ,
Facebook http://www.facebook.com.vilmaswellness,
by joining thyroid group [email protected], or you are welcome to contact me personally via [email protected]
To your health,
~ Vilma B
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