how to manage hormones
What is a hormonal imbalance?
To understand what a hormonal imbalance is, lets refresh ourselves on hormones. Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers. These powerful chemicals are created in the endocrine glands and travel around in our bloodstream like a boss telling tissues and organs what to do. In fact, hormones are so important, they help control many of our body’s major functions, including metabolism and reproduction.
Now imagine our hormones being imbalanced. Think of hormones like a chocolate souffle recipe. Even if one tiny ingredient gets off balance, such as too much or too little flour, then the whole end product is affected. That’s how our bodies work. Hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little of a hormone in our bloodstream.
Hormones help to regulate:
- metabolism and appetite
- heart rate
- sleep cycles
- reproductive cycles and sexual function
- general growth and development
- mood and stress levels
- body temperature
Problems can happen when our hormone levels are out of balance, like with hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome. This can make us feel poopy, such as being extremely tired or having a fast heart rate. However, hormone levels can drop as a result of a normal change as well (like with menopause).
So, now we understand why hormones are important and that normal hormone levels are important for our overall well-being but how do we know when our hormones are imbalanced? how to manage hormones
Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
I recently had the opportunity to talk to Kaiser Permanente Orange County doctor Dr. Carol Kaminskas about this very topic. She was very helpful and knowledgeable and I am excited to share with you what she had to say. The #1 most common symptom of a hormone imbalance is mood changes that are not related to menstrual or major life changes. The #2 most common symptom of a hormone imbalance is sleep disturbances.
Causes of Hormone Imbalance
Whenever something goes awry, I for one, am always interested in why it went sideways. So after asking Dr. Kaminskas what the symptoms of hormone imbalance were – my very next question was what causes hormone imbalances. In short, many things may cause hormonal imbalances. However, as we as women age our ovarian function changes and estrogen levels will change. Also, if we put on a little too much weight our body will create higher levels of blood sugar and insulin and cause hormonal imbalances as well.
New moms are susceptible to hormone imbalances because of sleep deprivation. In fact, moms in general are susceptible to hormone imbalances because we are always “on” and we feel the need to always be on top of things (sound familiar?). Our general idea of always being productive and getting tasks done can wear us down and deplete our cortisol storage.
So now that I’ve got your attention, what can we do to manage our hormones?
What You Can Do
What can you do to manage your hormones? To start, if you feel your hormones may be imbalanced see your doctor. Your Kaiser Permanente Orange County primary care physician will take good care of you. Also, if you would like to be proactive about keeping your hormones balanced follow these simple guidelines:
Exercise
not only is exercise going to keep us fit and healthy, it actually increases endorphins and promotes a deeper sleep at night!
Eat More Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of B12 and folate (both of which are vitamins that are helpful in energy cycle).
Manage Stress
Find ways to manage your everyday stresses. I have found that listening to relaxing music while doing chores is a great way to de-stress. What works for you?
These guidelines are simple enough right? Being proactive by creating a healthy life is the best way to live to the fullest!
Find Out More
Please head over to Kaiser Permanente Orange County to learn more and to find a doctor near you.
