Transcript View Presentation - Green Soul Holistics

The Hormone Conundrum
A Quick Guide to Understanding Your
Hormones
www.greensoulholistics.com
What Is Happening to Me?
 We all have an expectation as to how we should
function
 Our goals and dreams do not include bloating,
gas, weight gain or constant fatigue
 The issue for most people is to recognized
symptoms like this are not normal
Hormones
 What are they?
 Chemical messengers that help regulate systems
in the body and bodily functions
 We would not be who we are without them
The Players
 The Adrenal Hormones
 The Thyroid Hormones
 The Reproductive Hormones
 Digestive Hormones
 Intestinal Hormones
 Liver
The Adrenal Glands
 Sit on top of the kidneys
 Protect us from physical harm
 The flight or fight response
 Our adrenals do not distinguish between
physical and psychological or emotional stress
 That is where all the problems begin
Cortisol: Friend or Foe
 A key adrenal hormone
 Without it we would not be awake
 Helps us function through the day
 It is also a key stress response hormone
 The problem is too much
Signs of Excess Cortisol
 Brain fog, lack of focus, mood swings, depression,
anxiety.
 Low thyroid function.
 Dysglycemia (blood sugar swinging up and down)
 Morning and mid-afternoon fatigue (and overall
fatigue).
 Sleep disruption – can’t get to sleep and/or waking
up in the middle of the night and unable to fall back
asleep
Signs of High Cortisol
 Digestive and intestinal issues
 Backaches and headaches
 Weight gain, especially around the middle
 Low libido
 Possible low testosterone and/or progesterone and
excess estrogen
 Poor immune function
 Cravings for sweet or salty food
Stress & Hormones
Stress and high cortisol is the number one reason
hormones go astray
 Because the adrenal glands rule the roost (fight or flight)
 The adrenals can convert one hormone to another
 They also have a major effect on the pituitary – a master
hormone gland located at the base of the brain
 Reducing stress and repairing adrenal gland function may
seem like the quickest answer but it is not quite that
easy…

Thyroid Gland & Function
 The thyroid is a gland in the throat area
 Produces two hormones: thyroxine (T4) and
triiodothyronine (T3)
 The thyroid regulates metabolism, temperature
in the body, breathing, heart rate, central and
peripheral nervous systems, body weight,
muscle strength, menstrual cycles, body
temperature, cholesterol levels
Signs of Low Thyroid Function
 Fatigue and headaches
 Increased sensitivity to cold
 Constipation
 Dry skin and hair (thinning hair)
 Weight gain
 Puffy face
 Hoarseness
Signs of Low Thyroid Function
 Muscle weakness
 Elevated blood cholesterol level
 Muscle and joint aches and stiffness
 Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
 Slow heart rate
 Depression and poor cognitive function (memory)
Reproductive Hormones

Estrogen: Key female hormone for fertility but has many
other roles for men and women such as bone–making,
brain function, gut health

Progesterone: Key female hormone for fertility but has
other roles for men and women such as bone-making,
brain health, blood clotting, sleeping, thyroid function
and gut health

Testosterone: Key male reproductive hormone but also
helps men and women maintain muscle mass, maintain
libido, bone density and gut health
Reproductive Systems
 All three hormones have many more roles in the
body and can affect other hormone systems
 Progesterone is a precursor to testosterone and
cortisol
 Stress causes testosterone to convert to
estrogen and the adrenals can convert
progesterone to cortisol
The Liver
 Key organ to remove toxins from the body including
excess hormones such as estrogen and cortisol
 Makes cholesterol which the body needs to make
progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and cortisol
 Detoxes out chemical hormone-disrupters
 Helps convert thyroid hormones T4 to T3
(the active form needed for proper
thyroid function)
Digestive & Intestinal Systems
Blood sugar is regulated by the hormone insulin which
has a codependent relationship with cortisol – if one goes
up so does the other
 Good gut bacteria in the intestines plays a regulatory for
reproductive hormones, thyroid hormones and cortisol
 Stress and cortisol affect the quality and quantity of good
gut bacteria and encourage the growth of bad bacteria
 Good gut bacteria helps the liver with the removal of
excess hormones from the body

Interrelationship of Hormones
 Adrenals and excess cortisol interferes with
reproductive hormones, depresses thyroid function
and cause issues with hormones like insulin in the
digestive system
 Thyroid hormones interfere with digestive function,
intestinal function and reproductive function
 Reproductive hormones, when out of balance,
interfere with thyroid and adrenals function
 And that is why it is essential to work on balancing
all of them
 Food is the easiest way
Key Hormone Balancing Foods

Thyroid: Sea vegetables, coconut oil and foods rich in B
vitamins and essential fatty acids (EFAs)

Adrenals: Maca, schizandra, foods rich in B vitamins,
potassium and vitamin C

Liver Foods: Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli), calcium dglucarate foods (apples, grapefruit), garlic, onions, EFAs,
complex carbohydrates for energy,
milk thistle, lemons
and limes
Key Hormone Balancing Foods

Fermented food: These foods support intestinal function
and provide good bacteria to help the body (organic
yogurt and coconut yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi,
kombucha, wine, unpasteurized beer – if consuming
alcohol use in moderation)

Prebiotic Foods: Prebiotic foods feed our own good gut
bacteria (broccoli, apples, berries, raw asparagus, raw
garlic, raw and cooked onions, raw chicory root,
underripe bananas, raw dandelion greens, raw Jerusalem
artichokes, legumes, almonds and more)
The Solution to the Hormone
Conundrum? Balance!
 The key to balancing hormones is making long
term changes
 Diet and lifestyle is the easiest way
 Supplements can be helpful
 Better than medications
 Stick with it. It takes time but it is worth it!