What the Heck Are Hormones?
Are you not feeling like yourself lately? Hormones out of whack? Listen up, ladies—you are not alone. A hormonal imbalance can powerfully impact your body. You may have accepted your hormones’ control over your life, but understanding how hormones work can help you take back the power.
We are taking it back to health class, but we promise to make it a lot more entertaining! Keep reading for a 101 on all things hormones: what they are, why they matter, and how to bring them back into balance.
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are essential to breathe, eat, drink, reproduce, and a whole lot of other things. So, what are they exactly?
Think of hormones as your body’s chemical messengers that push your cells into action, telling them what to do. Hormones are molecules produced by the endocrine system that send various signals to parts of your body. Hold up— what is the endocrine system?
The endocrine system is made up of endocrine glands, a group of cells that secrete hormones. Endocrine glands are scattered throughout the body but are all categorized as one system. Some of the major endocrine glands include:
- Pituitary gland
- Pineal gland
- Thyroid
- Adrenal glands
- Pancreas
Primary reproductive organs like the testes and the ovaries are also considered endocrine glands.
Hormones are either proteins or steroids. All hormones in the human body (besides sex hormones and those from the adrenal glands) are considered proteins.
Hormones travel in your bloodstream throughout the entire body. There are many different types of hormones, and each type of hormone only affects specific cells. Each type of hormone has a hormone receptor designed to receive its messages (think lock and key).
What Do Hormones Do?
All bodies go through hormonal shifts throughout every day. Your hormones regulate anything from sleep cycles and mood to reproductive processes, metabolism, stress levels and tissue functions.
A little goes a long way in the world of hormones— it only takes a small amount to bring about significant change! A slight decrease or increase in the secretion of a hormone can throw your entire body off-balance.
Fun-fact: Having too much of a hormone is known as hyper-function. Not having enough of a hormone is known as hypo-function. Both can cause some major problems.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal imbalance can come from a myriad of reasons. Both men and women can be affected by imbalances in insulin, growth hormones, steroids, and adrenaline. Everyone will experience natural fluctuations of hormonal shift, but hormonal imbalances can happen when endocrine glands are not functioning correctly.
Hormonal imbalances can be caused by health conditions like diabetes, thyroid disorder, and other health problems. Lifestyle choices can also impact your hormones too.
Hormonal Imbalance in Women
Women experience natural hormonal imbalances, usually between estrogen and progesterone, throughout different periods of life. These imbalances in hormone levels can occur during:
- Puberty
- Menstruation
- Pregnancy
- Perimenopause and menopause and postmenopause
Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms In Women
If you are a woman, you have probably experienced the wrath of a hormonal imbalance. A fluctuation in hormonal balance can cause:
- Mood swings
- Hot Flashes and night sweats
- Painful and irregular periods
- Acne
- Weight gain
- Poor sleep
- Hair loss or hair growth
- And we are just getting started, unfortunately!
These symptoms may not be news to you. Almost 80% of women have a hormonal imbalance they aren’t aware of! Understanding how your hormones work and knowing what a hormonal imbalance looks like can help you take back control of your hormones.
A great starting point can be a visit to your doctor or healthcare professional. They can conduct tests to give you a better understanding of what is happening.
How To Balance Hormones?
Alright, nobody is perfect! In today’s world, hormonal imbalances are pretty common. This can be attributed to our modern environment, one that is far from natural. An example is the pesticides, hormones, and plastics that fill our food.
Your hormones do a lot for you! So how do you help them out naturally? Here are just a few ways you can bring your hormones back to homeostasis.
Avoid Certain Foods
Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that turns glucose into energy and keeps your blood sugar in check. If you overdo it on the sugar or carbohydrates, this can cause your body to secrete more insulin to help control glucose levels, resulting in insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes.
There is no need to throw out all sweets from your pantry, but be mindful when eating refined carbs and treats. You can balance out your diet by eating fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
Get Moving
When you go on a run or take a yoga class, your body secretes dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone. A little exercise can be more powerful than you think. Activity can help you sleep, digest, and even affect your sex drive and sexual function.
P.S. For those women experiencing the symptoms of menopause from low levels of estrogen, you can find relief through exercise as it may increase levels of estrogen in women.
De-Stress
The weight of constant stress can throw your hormones all over the place. We know stress is kind of inevitable but the way you manage stress is key. Create a relaxing routine to help combat stress, whether it’s through stretching, a nighttime ritual, or a supplement to balance hormones and stress.
Chilled Out is a stress relief formula that pairs two effective ingredients - Magnesium & adaptogen Ashwagandha – with six additional nutrients that support a positive mood, freedom from anxious thoughts, a relaxed body, and a calm mind.
Pst. Mix 1 scoop into water, juice, or herbal tea anytime you need to unwind. For best results, use a shaker cup.
For Women, By Women
Our formulas were designed for women’s biggest issues (hormonal imbalance included!) We know when you feel your best, you are unstoppable, so don’t let your hormones hold you back!