A brief but informative look at hormones and their impact on "keeping fit".
I got a great question via e-mail and I wanted to share the answer with all of you. Cathy asked, "How do hormones play a role in staying fit?" This is such a HUGE question (entire books have been written on the topic!) but I wanted to give a brief, informative answer.
Hormones are chemical messengers that send signals through out our bodies for various functions to begin or end, slow or speed up. They regulate mood, metabolism, and sexual function (among many other things).
The Endocrine system is the name we use for the network of organs and glands that influence hormone activity. The 3 main organs are the thyroid, the pancreas and the adrenals.
The best way to care for (and balance) hormonal activity, is to care for these organs. Balancing your blood sugars is essential for a healthy pancreas (see my Blood Sugar Basics article). Keeping a healthy diet and avoiding toxins is necessary for thyroid health (see my articles on Whole Foods and Organic Foods)And to ensure your adrenal glands are healthy, reduce stress!!
There are also many "detox" programs that help balance hormonal activity. Try Ann Louis Gittleman's Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet or Dr. Murray's Total Body Tune Up.
This topic deserves a much more in depth discussion so I'll work on getting an article out soon. Until then, eat well and keep that stress in check!
