Why Hormonal Balance Is So Essential

The endocrine system consists of hormones and functions that influence various aspects of our health, including the immune system. Hormonal balance is essential to overcoming stress, herpes-related symptoms, and overlapping conditions. Why? Because hormones are what keep us happy and functioning optimally, and chronic imbalances cause inflammation in the body, leading to diseases (think diabetes and other autoimmune syndromes) and more frequent and severe herpes outbreaks. Here's what you need to know about your adrenal, thyroid, liver, and ovarian hormones, and how to keep them up to par.

Adrenal Hormones

 

Whenever you're stressed (and most of us live in a perpetual state of stress), your adrenal glands produce excess cortisol. In average amounts, cortisol is a friend sent to protect you from stress, but when sent too often and for too long, it begins to break down protein in the body (muscles and tissues). Excess cortisol causes your body to release more sugar, which spikes insulin. When this happens too often and for too long, it can lead to Diabetes and other conditions.

 

After many months or years of high cortisol levels, cortisol receptors will become less effective and fail to function correctly, a condition known as Cortisol Resistance. You'll begin to experience the symptoms cortisol is supposed to protect you from, such as joint inflammation and autoimmune disease. Why? For one thing, cortisol is an immunosuppressant. You'll become more susceptible to viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Your immune system can't fight them as well. Harmful microbes can take over, triggering your hypothalamus to release more cortisol, which you can't use. It can become a vicious circle, leading to poor health, brain fog, an inability to solve problems efficiently, and a lack of energy. Digestive issues, muscle loss, sagging skin, and bone loss occur. All of these are signs of aging. Yes. Stress makes you old.

 

Note: Some argue that cortisol isn't the problem, which is indeed true. The problem is that the cortisol receptors inside cells are being shut down, preventing cortisone from entering. Why does this happen? It occurs when the mitochondria (the powerhouses of energy in every body cell) lose energy. Why do they lose energy? Sometimes there's a genetic cause, but most of the time it's due to stress (or inflammation). So the argument is about what came first, the chicken or the egg.

 

The following are symptoms of adrenal imbalance.

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  • Hump (fat pad) at the lower neck, upper-back area
  • Mid-section weight-gain
  • Thinner legs and arms with sparse hair
  • Thinning skin
  • Discolored or white patches on the skin
  • Puffy face or eyes with dark circles under the eyes
  • Facial hair (where there shouldn't be)
  • Breast atrophy
  • Tightness or pain in the chest
  • Weak bones, muscles, and ligaments (muscle aches)
  • Cravings for salt, cheese, coffee, and sugar
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Inability to tolerate stress
  • Insomnia
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Low sex drive
  • Asthma
  • Fibromyalgia Syndrome
  • Frequent viral infections (including herpes outbreaks)
  • Out of breath climbing stairs
  • Legs feel heavy when exercising
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Fluid retention

 

You may need to eat more protein than usual to counteract cortisol's effects. Perhaps twice as much for a while, until cortisol levels balance out. Why? Because protein is calming and repairing. Furthermore, low-fat diets won't work when cortisol levels remain high. Why? The body requires healthy fats to regulate hormones effectively. Additionally, low-fat diets tend to spike insulin more than whole-fat diets do. Blood sugar problems keep the body in a state of stress.

 

Vitamins B and C, potassium, and zinc are essential, though it is recommended to check your potassium levels before taking potassium supplements. Being deficient in C, D, or zinc sets you up for more frequent and severe infections, including herpes outbreaks.

 

Exercising, such as walking, yoga, and dancing, is one of the best ways to reduce stress (and cortisol). Of course, the type of exercise you engage in should be determined by how well you recover from exercise.

 

Consider drinking lemon balm tea three times daily. It raises brain levels of the neurotransmitter GABA by inhibiting the enzyme GABA transaminase. When GABA levels increase in the brain, cortisol levels decrease.

 

If you live with the Herpes Simplex Virus, you'll want to pay close attention to maintaining healthy adrenal hormone levels. Why? Because cortisol triggers herpes outbreaks. How? Cortisol triggers the release of histamine, which in turn activates the herpes virus. Therefore, thyroid, liver, and ovarian hormones can also trigger outbreaks. These other three are likely out of whack due to an imbalance of adrenal hormones.

 

Also, see Adrenal Burnout Syndrome.

 

 

Thyroid Hormones

 

Thyroid disease is the most common autoimmune disease. In mentioning, adrenal problems often precipitate thyroid imbalances. Ovarian issues can also cause thyroid imbalances. For example, excessive estrogen can interfere with the thyroid's proper functioning. Additionally, if you have liver problems or no gallbladder, you'll likely have thyroid problems.

 

The thyroid gland produces hormones from iodine, so including iodine-rich foods in your diet is crucial for maintaining healthy thyroid function. However, excessive iodine intake can also cause problems. The thyroid gland also requires a sufficient supply of selenium. Including seaweed in your diet is one way to ensure you get enough of these essential nutrients. Kelp is exceptionally high in selenium. However, if you have Hashimoto's or Graves, the iodine in seaweed can exacerbate your condition. Symptoms of thyroid imbalance include the following. 

 

  • Hair loss (baldness on the sides and back of the head, patches of baldness on the head, the outer part of the eyebrows missing, thin eyelashes, baldness in the pubic area)
  • Low body temperature and feeling cold when it's not related to weather temperatures or illness
  • Dry skin
  • Constipation
  • Hoarseness
  • Constant throat clearing of phlegm
  • Aches and pains, especially in the head and shoulders
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Mood swings, anxiety, depression, and apathy (loss of hope)
  • A sleep disorder (apnea, trouble falling or staying asleep)
  • Puffy eyes or face (unrelated to salt retention)
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Severe menstrual cramps
  • Tongue issues (fat, light-colored, indented teeth marks on the side of the tongue)
  • Eye tics
  • Gaining or losing weight without trying
  • Sagging skin under the chin, arms, and stomach
  • Carbohydrate cravings (bread, sweets, chocolate)
  • Brittle nails with vertical ridges
  • Sagging eyelids
  • Brain fog
  • Frequent cold sores

 

Thyroid problems trigger cold sores (HSV-1) and genital herpes (HSV-2). Why? One of the thyroid hormones (T-3) plays a significant role in suppressing herpes replication. T-3 is made from T-4. If T-4 can't supply enough T-3, you'll experience more frequent and severe outbreaks.

 

Also, see Hypothyroidism.

 

 

Liver Hormones

 

Your liver is one of the organs responsible for purification and has approximately 500 functions. Others are your kidneys, lungs, and skin. It processes nutrients from your food, breaks down fats, builds proteins, produces cholesterol, makes bile to assist digestion, metabolizes toxins (including chemicals and drugs), and helps the immune system fight infection. Your liver also produces insulin growth factor (IGF), a hormone that regulates blood sugar between meals. If you have a damaged liver, you can suffer a wide range of symptoms, including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Sugar Disease.

 

Your liver prefers you to eat vegetable proteins. However, it sometimes needs saturated fat (from animal sources). Why? So that it (and your gallbladder) can break down dietary fats. If your liver is healthy, reducing animal fats (but not eliminating them) will help maintain its health. Your liver also needs B vitamins, as well as many cruciferous vegetables, such as garlic, onions, beetroot, eggs, leeks, apples, kale, cabbage, cinnamon, and turmeric, which help render toxins in the liver harmless. ​Symptoms of liver imbalance include the following. 

 

  • Brown spots or tiny red spots on the skin
  • Hives and itching
  • Acid reflux
  • Constipation
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Decreased tolerance for fatty foods and grains
  • Chemical sensitivities
  • Pain or tightness in the right shoulder
  • Gallbladder problems
  • Arthritis
  • Spider and varicose veins
  • White tongue
  • Jaundice (in severe cases)
  • Waking early in the morning before the alarm goes off, and the inability to go back to sleep
  • Moody or anxious (with brain fog) in the morning
  • Feet are hot at night
  • Ankles swell
  • Deep crease down the center of the tongue

 

Also, see Cleansing & Detoxifying. 

Ovarian Hormones

 

Ovarian imbalances result in sex hormone imbalances (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone). Ovarian imbalances can be related to thyroid problems. Why? Like your thyroid gland, your ovaries require iodine to function correctly, which is why, if you have thyroid problems, you'll likely have problems with your female hormones. Other causes of ovarian imbalance are the removal of the ovaries, menopause, ovarian cysts, and hormone-disrupting substances in foods, beverages, plastics, and the environment. Symptoms of ovarian imbalance are as follows.  

 

  • Weight gain primarily in the lower stomach, hips, and thighs
  • Cyclic PMS with cramps, brain fog, mood swings, cravings, excessive bleeding, constipation, or bloating each month
  • Lower back or knee pain associated with the monthly menstrual cycle
  • Infertility
  • Night sweats and hot flashes (even in men)
  • Thinning of the hair on the head or the body
  • Ovarian cysts​
  • Vaginal complaints

 

Your ovaries are sensitive to hormone additives in foods. If you experience any of the symptoms listed below, avoiding foods containing BST and GMOs is essential. Instead, opt for pasteurized and organic meats and foods derived from organic sources, as well as wild-caught seafood.

 

Where cruciferous vegetables are great for your liver, they are not so great for the ovaries. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, deplete iodine levels, so increasing iodine-rich foods in your diet, such as seaweed, is essential.

 

Also, see Navigating Menopause.

 

 

Hormone Inhibitors to Avoid

 

  • Taking in too much estrogen (birth control, hormone replacement therapies (HRTs)
  • Consuming non-organic foods containing hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals
  • Using plastics that contain harmful chemicals
  • Drinking too much caffeine (coffee, black tea, and sodas)
  • Eating excess chocolate
  • Taking medications (unless they're doctor-prescribed)
  • Ingesting monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • Not getting regular, deep sleep
  • The use of common table salt (use natural sea salt instead)
  • Imbibing in alcohol (beer, wine, and mixed drinks) 
  • Refined sugar and artificial sugar substitutes 

 

 

When Getting Hormones Tested Is Crucial

 

When you've been suffering for a long time, have tried everything by trial and error, and still haven't found a solution, running a few tests is crucial. What kind of tests? You could have your hormones checked, but before doing so, consider a hair mineral analysis to assess vitamin and mineral imbalances. Hormones become imbalanced when nutrients are imbalanced. When vitamin and mineral deficiencies are corrected, hormones often rebalance, and symptoms typically disappear. Therefore, testing your vitamin and mineral levels first makes good sense.

 

You may also want to test for deficiencies or overgrowths of gut microbes, which can cause Leaky Gut Syndrome and inflammation. Both prevent nutrient absorption, leading to vitamin and mineral deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.