Hormones: Introduction

Major Hormones (metabolic) and Minor Hormones (reproductive).

When your hormones are in balance, you feel great. When your hormone production is abundant you feel vigorous, your reactions are fast, and you appreciate beauty all around you. You enjoy life.

There are 6 Major Hormones that determine what happens with the food you eat: will you burn it as energy, use it to build muscle, or store it as fat? These hormones are: insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline).

Your hypothalamus is your weight-regulating center. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland together represent the control center of your endocrine system. It controls your hunger level and your metabolic rate. To change your weight you have to change the set point.

The ratio of pancreas-produced insulin to glucagon determines your energy utilization. Insulin stores energy, glucagon makes it come out of storage (glycogen of fat). If blood sugar levels rise too quickly, it triggers an insulin release that causes the excess glucose to be converted and stored as fat instead of being stored as glycogen in liver and muscle. Glucagon is released when blood glucose levels become too low. Excess insulin triggered by excess carbohydrates will promote fat storage. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of body fat to be used for energy. Insulin decreases blood sugar by moving glucose into the cells, stimulating glucose burning for energy and increasing glycogen stores by shifting the metabolism from carb-burning to fat-burning.

Growth Hormone (HGH) keeps your body young, trim and fit and able to repair damage fast. As insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1) it stimulates cell production and rejuvenation, the opposite of sagging skin, thinning bones, lower muscle strength, greater body fat, weaker heart function, lowered immunity, thinning hair, decreased stamina and vigor.Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism, the conversion of oxygen and calories into energy. Deficient thyroid function will affect your temperature, your blood pressure, your moods, and your long term health.

Your adrenal hormones regulate your response to your environment and your thoughts. These include short term and long term issues. Sudden stress will increase your heart and breath rates and shut down your digestive and repair activity. IF your hormones are not balanced, your body is aging faster than it can be repaired. Minor Hormone imbalance brings night sweats, anxiety, depression, fatigue, loss of energy, headaches, loss of focus and attention, poor muscle tone, decreased exercise tolerance, osteoporosis, rising cholesterol levels, cardiac dysfunction, inability to tolerate stress, memory loss and cognitive decline.

Estrogen, the essence of femininity, makes a woman feel sensual, bringing fullness to the breasts, clarity to the mind, and moisture to the vagina.Progesterone is calming, builds bone, burns fat, improves vascular tone, prevents arterial plaque. Low progesterone causes depression, irritability, anxiety, obsessive behaviors, weight gain, itching, bloating, sweating, digestive problems, flatulence, and loss of memory.

Testosterone increases motivation, assertiveness, control, well-being, and decisiveness. Testosterone helps keep skin supple, bones strong, and moods balanced, figure shapely, and sex enjoyable.Melatonin is cued by darkness to start restoration and regeneration to regulate your sleep and immune system. It increases life span and resistance to cancer.

Pregnenolone regulates brain functions: memory, concentration and mood. It is a precursor to DHEA or progesterone, androgens (sex), estrogens (sex), cortisol (stress), aldosterone (blood pressure).DHEA affects aging, muscle mass, memory, immune system, obesity, dementia, osteoporosis, fatigue and depression. DHEA lowers cholesterol and insulin levels to prevent heart disease and diabetes. DHEA keeps your immune system strong to prevent cancer, and reduces Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s by protecting your neurons.