HORMONE HEALTH

What are hormones?

Hormones are produced by the endocrine system. There are multiple organs in the body that produce them and they all communicate with each other! It is thought that the body will only produce a certain number of hormones, which is why you can become unbalanced; when you produce too many of one hormone, your body produces too few of another. For example if you are chronically stressed, you will produce a lot of cortisol (a stress hormone). This usually decreases the amount of insulin your body produces and in turn affects your blood sugar levels which if left unchecked will turn into Type 2 Diabetes.

There are three main types of hormone: amine, peptide and steroid. The first two are made from amino acids (protein molecules) and steroids are made from cholesterol.

One of the most common hormone issues is the over- or under-production of sex hormones i.e. oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone. In my opinion these are some of the most subtle hormones to balance! Imbalances can lead to disorderly menstruation, unwanted hair growth, and sadly even miscarriage. Studies have shown that sex hormones affect the brain- your mood, your ability to concentrate and even your behaviour.

Can I improve my hormone health?

Thankfully we have control over the way we live, what we eat, how we exercise and what chemicals we come into contact with (environmental toxins). All of these things affect our hormone health and overall wellbeing. By eating clean food, exercising appropriately for our body and removing as many environmental toxins from our lifestyle we can take control of our hormones and our health. What a relief! It can be a daunting prospect and feel like a minefield, but asking for help is one of the first steps you must take.

How does diet and exercise affect your hormones?

Diet and exercise are two of the main factors to consider when addressing a hormonal imbalance. What we eat makes up our cells - the quality of the food we digest will have an impact on the body’s ability to produce healthy hormones. Exercise is another key factor on the journey to healthy hormones. If you are looking to lose weight, one of the first things most people do is start to exercise. Going to the gym, running, HIIT, zumba etc is great up to a point. More often than not, people gain weight or feel worse when they start to include exercise in their life. Not many people look at their hormones and what could be going on internally when deciding on what type of exercise to employ on their weight loss journey.

So what do I suggest?

Nutrition is key. Your body cannot function without adequate nutrient intake. I can help you choose the right foods and the correct portion sizes for your body.

Exercise is the second factor and unsurprisingly, I suggest starting a yoga practice. You will be surprised how much it will help! One of the most wonderful things about yoga is that it helps our mind and body at the same time. You can lose weight, gain strength, become mentally resilient and more confident from a regular yoga practice. Yoga is particularly effective at stimulating the endocrine (hormone) system. The postures (asanas) squeeze your organs which allows fresh blood flow, giving them a new lease of life. I have seen it working wonders on so many different bodies and for so many reasons.