Here comes the hot flush!
Those in the know understand what I am talking about. Perimenopause and menopause are like birthing, you don’t know what it’s like until you actually go through it! And when you are going through it you want your best friends on your side to support you.
Who are your two best friends? Your nerve system and homeostasis.
According to the Macquarie Dictionary, homeostasis is “the physiological equilibrium within living creatures involving a balancing of structure, functions and chemical compositions …” In other words, your homeostasis mechanism has a large influence on your ability to adapt to your life. At the core of homeostasis is your nerve system. Your nerve system is vital for effective communication so your hormones can deliver a balanced chemical composition – not more or less of any one hormone.
When the body is in a state of homeostasis the precise amount of hormone is produced and released into the blood stream and the body functions clearly, effectively, efficiently and smoothly. However, when you create neurological disturbance it impacts the efficiency of your homeostasis system by creating either too much or too little of a particular hormone(s); the result of which can be a variety of health challenges. You create nerve disturbance via the 3T’s – thoughts, trauma and toxins. Or said another way your movement, what you eat and how you think.
Your endocrine system (hormonal system) consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenals and the ovaries and testes, all intricately working together to maintain you in balance…internally. Again, this balance is coordinated by your nerve system through the homeostasis feedback mechanism. After decades in practice we have observed that there are four key glands involved in neurological health expressions of your endocrine/hormonal system:
- Thyroid: metabolism regulator
- Adrenals: trigger fight or flight response
- Pancreas: regulates blood sugar levels
- Uterus/Testes: secretes female/male sex hormones
Out of the four the major players we have observed we’ve found it’s the adrenal glands which tend to get overlooked. It’s your adrenals which regulate your stress levels. Your stress levels have a major impact on how your hormones are expressing. Perimenopause and menopause are not solely ovarian hormone challenges. Indeed, perimenopause and menopause are often outcomes of adrenal hormone challenges. Adrenal stress affects everything.
By the time women reach the menopausal transition, the adrenal glands are so depleted that they are unable to produce healthy levels of hormones. The adrenal glands focus on the production of cortisol due to the stress rather than the production of progesterone and other sex hormone precursors which they are regulated to do when a woman’s transition begins. The result in increased menopausal symptoms and related adrenal deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, and cravings.
So, lets break down the adrenal glands under our Vital Wellbeing “Move. Eat. Think” banner which are the three ways you create neurological disturbance. See if you can identify where stress is taking it’s toll in your life. Looking closely at the ways in which you create nerve disturbance is a useful place to start when understanding your body and hormonal health expressions.
So, lets take a closer look at each…
Move/Trauma/Physical: Over exercising, under exercising, repetitive stress, posture inefficiency, sitting for long periods, impatient.
Eat/Toxins/Chemical: Diets high in sugar and carbs, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol, medications, energy drinks, environmental toxins.
Think/Thoughts/Emotional: Muddled instability and thinking, emotional instability (up and down), paranoia, can’t figure it out, fear and anxiety, fast paced-modern lifestyle, unrealistic goals, over achiever, meeting deadlines, high expectations.
The word hormone by definition refers to an organic compound produced in animal bodies to regulate activity and behaviour. Hormones are often described as the body’s “chemical messengers” sent through the bloodstream to regulate various functions in your organs and tissues. But at times the “chemical messengers” communication pathway gets distorted and results in mis-communication leading to a cascade of hormonal health expressions.
Indeed, your hormones set “things” in motion, impel and urge on. In other words, they move you or “nudge the needle” in a direction (up or down) that might not always be pleasant. It pays to make sure you are looking at your life – your adrenal life – in a balanced way. It will make all the difference to experiencing hormonal balance and a blissful state, or having you express a hot and horrid state.
Here are some vital steps to take towards living with a more harmonious hormonal system:
- Adjustments: find a qualified chiropractor and receive regular adjustments. A body that can communicate with itself can adapt, heal, and change. If you are unsure of who to go to ask around your friends and family.
- Move: your body. However, it is not worth over working an already stressed out body! Walking in nature, a light swim or yoga will be good choices.
- Eat: organic, local, whole and seasonal foods where ever possible. Make meals from scratch and refrain from eating processed foods. Eat lots of avocados, wild salmon (not farmed), organic butter and coconut oil. Bone broths and probiotics will also be essential to a well-functioning gut and biome.
- Think: have another read of the points above that I made under “Think” and see where in your life you are doing one or two or many of the suggestions I made. Take steps to understand why and seek help where you feel it will be most beneficial. At night deep slow breathing into the abdomen can help to calm the mind and even dabbing some lavender on the temporal area and under the nose will help to relax a stressed out state.
References:
https://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/
http://monctonnaturopathic.com/understand-the-link-between-adrenal-health-menopause/
__________________________________________________________________________________
GOOD TO SHARE? You’re welcome to reprint this article when it is properly attributed to Drs Randall & Sarah Farrant with a link to Vital-Wellbeing.com
It must include the following: Since 1990 Drs Randall & Sarah Farrant have been global mentors to thousands of individuals, families, health professionals, celebrities and sporting personalities. They have facilitated and inspired people to live a vitalistic life.
