Pathway to Better Health: Hormone Health
Have you ever had a physical, emotional, or mental reaction to something and had someone say, “Maybe it’s your hormones?” It turns out, it could be! Hormonal health is a key factor in overall health and well-being. Our hormones play a vital role in how our bodies receive chemicals and use/interpret them. In addition to the rest of the mind and bodily functions, hormonal health is integral to overall performance, function, and mood.
What are Hormones?
Many people know about the idea of hormones, especially as they relate to life events. Hormones are often talked about during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, but not so much otherwise. This is a mistake! Hormones are part of every stage of the life cycle, which is why it is important that we not only understand more about them but also about what to do when they’re not working properly.
Hormones are chemicals that act as messengers to send signals to different parts of the body. They travel in the bloodstream to different tissues and organs, typically working slowly over time.
What Is Hormonal Health?
The endocrine system regulates hormone health and stability in the sense that endocrine glands release hormones into the bloodstream. By doing so, the endocrine system can regulate the number of hormones that get distributed. If you suspect that you may be experiencing an issue with your hormonal health, the first place to start is with the endocrine system.
Evaluating the endocrine system and how well it is working involves looking at the network of glands and organs that produce hormones, namely the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, the thyroid gland, the parathyroid glands, the adrenal glands, the pancreas, the ovaries, and the testes.
Our bodies house over 50 different hormones, but the majority of people are most familiar with these 8 key players:
- Estrogen
- Insulin
- Growth hormone (GH)
- Progesterone
- Cortisol
- Testosterone
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Adrenaline
Too much or too little of any given hormone can disrupt health and lead to endocrine disorders that may negatively impact the body’s functions. Some of these are part of the natural progression of life, whereas other hormonal issues require intervention and treatment. The most common endocrine disorders and issues people face may include:
- Diabetes
- Addison’s Disease
- Hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism
- Menopause
- Endometriosis
- Cushing’s Disease
- Hashimoto’s Disease
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- …and many others
The PLMC Approach To Hormonal Health
Here at the PLMC, we prioritize the overall wellness of our patients. We see wellness as a function of health rather than simply the absence of disease. As your healthcare provider, our mission is to equip you with the tools you need to live a full and balanced life. We do this by starting with the 5 pillars of health: sleep, exercise/movement, nutrition, stress management, and relationships/community. We focus on these 5 areas as a basis for what we’ve established as the 5 Functions of Health:
By analyzing health from these vantage points, we help patients gain a better understanding of themselves as whole beings and work with them to improve an area if it needs to change. The PLMC’s hormonal health program consists of hormonal testing, one-on-one appointments with a designated provider, lifestyle educational elements, hormonal supplements (if they are needed), and a sleep/movement/nutrition plan to help establish a baseline off of which we can work to improve how they feel and function.
Your weight may be a contributing factor to your heart health, but it isn’t everything. More importantly, it may be something you can take control of if it needs to change.
