Feeling irritable, anxious, moody, overweight or fatigued a lot?
Hormonal imbalances are often overlooked especially when it comes to weight gain, inflammation and chronic disease. The main hormone disruptors are insulin, thyroid, cortisol and sex hormones.
The thyroid hormone plays a vital role in maintaining healthy body weight acting like our very own metabolic thermostat. When it is functioning properly we feel energetic, think clearly & have a good memory, manage body weight easily, cholesterol is usually normal, skin is moist, hair grows well and sex drive is strong. Quite a high proportion of thyroid sufferers fail to be diagnosed correctly. The appropriate thyroid tests are not always done to identify the condition.
The adrenal glands produce this hormone in response to stress. It controls our hunger, digestion, blood pressure, sleep cycles, physical activity and ability to cope with stress. Initially high levels of cortisol are produced when the stress-response is activated often. With chronic or long-term stress, cortisol production can swing between very high and very low levels.
During the stress-response a release of cortisol helps us run faster, see further, hear better and it releases fuel into our blood for quick energy, so we can fight or fly away from the stressor. Unfortunately excessive stress can cause weight gain, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, muscle loss and can also cause our digestion to shut down and metabolism to slow.
Practice active relaxation. This means set aside a particular time of day for about 15 minutes and try some deep breathing, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi or even a sauna or steam bath. Regular practice is what reaps the benefits.
Don’t be fooled by negative thoughts. Many of us get very caught up in our own reactions, habits and ideas that keep us stressed. Learn to recognise when this is happening and choose not to believe them, let them go.
Connect with friends and family. Choose to be around positive people who uplift your mood and make you feel happy.
Create an endorphin rush with some daily exercise like walking, weights, swimming and cycling. Whatever you choose, make it something that you like to do. When you gain enjoyment from the activity you are more likely to do it regularly.
Imbalances in estrogen hormones and testosterone can also result in weight gains in both men and women. It is interesting to know that farmers implant estrogen pellets into the ears of beef cattle to fatten them up before market.
At your first appointment your health will be assessed and recommendations made for improvement. This may include setting short-term goals and condition-specific testing.
As an experienced and leading Adelaide naturopath in South Australia, Merridy Casson has a unique functional medicine approach which revolves around identifying the underlying cause of her client’s health concerns or disease.
As an experienced and leading Adelaide naturopath in South Australia, Merridy Casson has a unique functional medicine approach which revolves around identifying the underlying cause of her client’s health concerns or disease.