How much do you really know about hormones or hormonal imbalances?
It’s a buzzword, certainly, one that we hear a lot regarding our health, I’m sure we’re all aware that they’re chemicals or something that we have inside our body, but aside from anyone who’s in the medical field, or who has a kid taking 11th grade biology, who can say that they know what their hormones really do, or why it matters if they have a hormone imbalance?
Let’s take it back to the basics. Hormones are chemical messaging agents that our body uses to start or end certain processes. Things like growth and development (AKA puberty), sexual function, metabolism, digestion, sleep, and even our emotional responses and moods are regulated as our bodies release hormones.
You may not think about these processes a lot—that’s kind of the whole point, after all, they just kind of happen—but they’re constantly occurring and being regulated inside your body, and even if you don’t know what they all do, you certainly know some of their names.
- Estrogen – Female sex hormone
- Testosterone – Male sex hormone
- Insulin – Breaks down glucose and moderates blood sugar
- Serotonin – “Pleasure chemical,” helps regulate mood and stress levels
- Cortisol – “Stress chemical,” helps moderate fight-or-flight response
- Adrenaline – “Emergency chemical,” for high-danger situations
- HGH – Human Growth Hormone, regulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration. Banned in most professional sports leagues.
Some of those probably sound familiar, right? Well, they all occur naturally inside the human body, and they’re all working to help us stay as vibrant, engaged, and in optimal shape.
So what does it mean when we have a hormonal imbalance?
Hormonal imbalances can happen as we age. Is it a natural part of aging or is it due to the constant bombardment of our bodies of things like stress, poor dietary choices like processed and fast food, overworking, insufficient physical activity, or essentially anything else we all encounter in our day to day lives? Unfortunately, the good ship the SS Human Body doesn’t stay pristine forever, and as certain parts start to break down, they don’t produce the same levels of hormones that they do when we’re younger.
For example, if you’re experiencing a stressful period in your life, your body may produce a higher-than-normal amount of the stress hormone cortisol. Having excess cortisol in your body can interrupt your sleep patterns, affect your day-to-day mood, increase your general level of anxiety, and over the long term can even contribute to serious health issues like increased risk of heart attacks. Not to mention that even one hormone out of whack can cause issues across the entire network, or what’s known as the hormonal cascade, so if left unaddressed, hormonal imbalance can be a serious problem.
Ageless Living offers Hormone Balancing programs designed to treat hormonal imbalances, and to help their clients stay youthful and vibrant, and keep their bodies running the way they’re supposed to.
Discover your best self, at any age. Learn more about Hormone Balancing Treatments.
