Healthy Hormones, Happy Life...

There is a lot of talk about hormones, what to take for hormones, hormone deficiency or a change in hormones. The real question is what are hormones and what is the role they play for us? Well, what I will start with is why hormones are imminent to our health and pivotal to our life force.

What Do Hormones Actually Do for Us?

Hormones are chemical messengers that coordinate different functions in your body. Several glands, organs and tissues make and release hormones, many of which make up your endocrine system.

Without hormones, there would be no way for our body to properly grow, support our metabolism, have healthy sleep cycles and minimize reproduction. All of these are required for our daily function in a healthy way.

Hormones work with organs and glands that either store these chemical messages or release them to the rest of the body when it is time for their purpose. For example, when we are tired and it is time to sleep, the hormone called melatonin will be released primarily from the pineal gland into the bloodstream for sleep time. I mentioned primarily because melatonin is also stored in other places in the body like the gut, the retina, and bone marrow cells. We will dive deeper into that in another blog and work with the basics for now.

When hormones are not fully functioning, it takes a toll on the body and makes other glands start to work harder and in survival mode. This is a part of the endocrine system

Here are the glands that work with hormones:

• Hypothalamus- Connected to growth hormone and oxytocin.

• Pineal gland-Connected to melatonin.

• Pituitary gland- Connected to growth hormone, prolactin and thyroid hormones.

• Thyroid gland- Connected regulating metabolism and growth.

• Parathyroid glands- Connected to regulating calcium in the blood

• Thymus-Connected to lymphocytes.

• Adrenal glands-Connected to adrenaline and cortisol hormones.

• Pancreas- Connected to insulin and glucagon.

Each gland releases the required hormone into the bloodstream to be taken up by the cells to support the body. As you can see, there is no way that we can live without hormones. When the body is provided with the necessary nutrients to support hormones, the healthier the body will be.

If there are auto-immune conditions that prevents healthy hormone function or if the gland that creates or stores a particular hormone is removed, a synthetic hormone replacement will be administered by a healthcare provider.

Nutrients that are beneficial to hormones are:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Support overall hormone health and function. Found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as avocados, nuts, and seeds.

• B vitamins are important for liver health, sex hormones and supporting heart health, lymphatic health and adrenal health. These can be found in leafy greens.

• Zinc, selenium, and magnesium are important minerals for supporting hormones. Sources like chocolate, nuts, seeds and black strap molasses are great sources.

• Proteins are building blocks and support hormone function.

• Complex carbohydrates like sweet yams, squashes and cassava are great foods for providing adequate energy to cells.

• Fibre (especially soluble) help to support the body by up taking necessary nutrients and slow down the need for hormones like glucose and cortisol. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains are great sources.

• Potassium and sodium are important for electrolyte balancing which supports maintaining healthy fluids in the body. Potatoes, coconut water and bananas are a great source of potassium. Celtic salt, sea moss and himalayan salt are great sources of sodium.

Exercise, resting, restful sleep is essential. Practices like yoga, meditation focusing on breath work, rebounding and madera therapy are amazing for stimulating the body, getting energy moving through the body and activates the systems which also helps to regulate hormone function. I also wanted to remind you that hormones are just as important to each gender for various reasons. The benefits mentioned above are beneficial to everyone.

This is some basic information on how hormones function and the vital role they play in the body. As always, we encourage you to do your own research and check in with your health care provider to have a deeper discussion.