Here’s what you oughta know to keep your hormones functioning as they should.
Talk of hormone health is everywhere lately.
The truth about hormone health is that it’s incredibly complex.
Andrea Mathis
What are hormones?
What do they do?
Simply put, hormones are chemical messengers that regulate countless bodily functions and behaviors.
They affect practically every aspect of your health.
Hormones, along with the glands that secrete them, make up the endocrine system.
(That’s why doctors who specialize in hormone health are called endocrinologists.)
This is especially true when referring to sex hormones.
We also recognize that not all transgender and nonbinary people use hormones as part of their care.
Digestion and metabolism
Insulinis made in the pancreasand gets released after you eat.
It signals your body to transport sugar (glucose) from your blood to your cells for fuel.
Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are yourthyroidhormones.
They help regulate your weight, energy expenditure (or metabolism) and body temperature, among other things.
Andrea Mathis
If puberty blockers are not used as part of affirming transgender health care, estrogenis responsible forchanges during puberty.
Post-puberty, estrogen levels regulate the menstrual cycle and fertility in cisgender women and some transgender people.
Estrogen keeps cholesterol in check and bones strong.
Andrea Mathis
Progesteroneis the secondary sex hormone in cisgender women and some transgender people.
It primarily supports the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
Some forms of progesterone are used astestosterone blockersin transgender women or people assigned male at birth.
Andrea Mathis
Estrogen alone is not enough for transfeminine people to develop more feminine characteristics.
Testosterone is the main sex hormone that is predominant in cisgender men and some transgender people.
It helps your brain communicate with the rest of your nervous system.
Andrea Mathis
Chronically elevated cortisol can make you feel hungrier and lead to morefat storage around your waist.
Overproduction of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) can lead to weight loss andunderproductioncan lead to weight gain.
Low testosteronecan lead tolow energy as well as lack of sex drive and unstable mood.
And when estrogen is too high or too low, it can affect your energy as well.
Turns out, that’s not exactly a thing.
Certain health conditions can lead to (or be because of) abnormal hormone function.
Addison’s diseaseis due to not enough adrenal hormones (cortisol and aldosterone) being produced.
It can lead to low blood pressure and low blood sugar, weakness, weight loss and irregular moods.
If you suspect that you have a hormone-related health condition, talk to your doctor about it.
Adobe Stock / Aamulya
In many cases, medication and hormone replacement therapy is essential.
TheMayo Clinicexplains that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy isn’t any more effective than traditional hormone replacement.
Certain diet tweaks can help keep your hormones functioning properly.
Julian Birchman
But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you’re free to do to support hormone health.
If you’re extremely tired and irritable, your diet may be too restrictive.
If you’re gaining weight quickly, see a doctor or dietitian.
Plus, quick weight gain might be a symptom of a medical condition that requires treatment.
Being underweight, not eating enough and overexercising are all possible reasons.
There’s no need to cut sugar or processed carbs out of your diet entirely.
Increased insulin production can also trigger the release of more androgen, leading to acne.
If you have terrible PMS, try adding vitamin B6 and calcium.
If you’re free to’t focus, melatonin-rich foods before bed might help.
Manyhormones also get producedwhile you sleep, and not getting enough sleep can interfere with this.
Taking melatonin supplements and eating foods rich in melatonin,like cherries, may also help.
Tart Cherry Nice Cream
It’s no fun trying to function on insufficient sleep.
Try this no-sugar-added Tart Cherry Nice Cream as an after-dinner treat!
Remember that hormone health is complicated and individual.
Good habits can help, but it’s always best to see a doctor if something is wrong.
If a few habit changes help you feel better, that’s fantastic.
Going to extremes in an attempt to self-treat your symptoms will probably just make things worse.
