But do women really know answers to questions such as:
what are hormones?
How do they affect us?
What is Hormonal Imbalance?
What causes them?
How Hormonal Imbalance affects women and their overall health?
It's best to answer these questions as they affect our day to day life and our body.
So, let's start by getting answers the questions like –
What are Hormones? How do they affect us?
These are molecules produced by endocrine glands that influence various biological processes in our body. The various glands have a specific focus such as: -
- The pancreas produces insulin that helps control blood sugar level
- Pituitary glands release growth hormones
- Adrenal produces stress hormones
- Ovaries secrete sex hormones - Estrogen, Progesterone, Androgens (Testosterone)
- The thyroid regulates heartbeat and usage of calories, etc.
They control the body's complex functions like mood, emotions, development and growth, reproduction, hunger, metabolism, blood pressure, sexual function, etc., and essential functions like eating, drinking, sleeping, disbursing energy, and breathing.
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They are chemical messengers. These chemicals travel throughout our bloodstreams, carrying messages from the brain to organs and tissues. They tell organs how to perform and what to do and also ensure the health of these organs. They are fundamental to the functioning of our body.
What is Hormonal Imbalance?
In hormones, the disorder is when there is either too much or too little production of a particular hormone in the body. A slight change can cause severe effects on us.
When there is too much hormone production, it is known as hyper-function, and when it's too little, it is known as hypo-function.
Hormone levels fluctuate our entire life, but when they are not producing as they should, it may cause various discomforts such as loss of appetite, mood swings, infertility, exhaustion, loss of hair, excess facial hair, etc.
Symptoms you should keep an eye on
Hormonal disorder affects women in many ways, including impact on mental, emotional, and physical health. As hormones are an integral part of our overall health, many signs can help us identify the various issues.
Common Symptoms are –
These symptoms don't necessarily mean Hormonal Problems; there can be many other reasons for these.
- weight gain or loss
- bloating
- PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome)
- irregular or heavy period
- frequent or long delay in periods
- breast tenderness or changes
- a hump between the shoulders
- tiredness or fatigue
- muscle weakness, tenderness, stiffness, or aches
- frequent urination
- acne on the face, back, or chest
- low libido
- hot flashes
- depression, anxiety, irritability
- excess hair on various parts of the body
- fertility issues
- headaches
- exhaustion
- pain during sex
- stretch marks
- skin problems
- weak bones
- night sweats
- insomnia
- thinning of hair or hair loss
- increase or decrease in heart rate
- diarrhea or constipation
- vaginal dryness
- over sensitivity to hot or cold
- increase in hunger or thirst
- stiffness or pain in joints, even swelling
- memory fog
Causes you can take precautions against
Many things can cause problems related to hormones. It further depends on which glands or hormones are affected. Factors like the following can lead to these: -
- Diabetes
- Thyroid disorders
- medications
- PCOS
- pregnancy
- stress
- trauma or injury
- toxins
- hormone therapy
- eating disorders
- unbalanced lifestyle
- birth control pills
- Estrogen imbalance
- Low testosterone
- Ovarian, Uterine, or Breast cancer
- cancer treatments
- tumors
- menopause
- pre-menopause
- breastfeeding
How Hormonal Imbalance affects women and their overall health?
Hormonal Imbalance that affects women may seem very common, and we tend to neglect them, taking them as day to day issues with us, but we should take them seriously.
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Neglecting them can have severe effects on the functioning of our body. It can cause our organs to become stagnant. Such as impact on: -
- reproductive organs will affect sex life, desire to have sex, chances of getting pregnant, childbirth, menstruation cycle, lactation, etc.
- the pancreas can cause insulin deficiency leading to diabetes due to deduction in the body's ability to utilize glucose absorbed from food.
- pituitary glands may affect a person's growth pattern causing an underdeveloped growth pattern or dwarfism, or excessive height (gigantism).
Other effects include –
- Issues in maintaining water and salt in our body
- Stabilizing mood swings and emotions
- Cognitive functions (mental abilities), including remembering power, learning, decision making, thinking, reasoning, attention, etc.
- Controlling thirst and hunger
- Maintaining blood pressure
- Absorbing nutrients
- Disbursing energy and calories
- Sleep patterns
So, we need to understand that Hormonal Imbalance affects women in many ways. We should take them seriously and definition not neglect them.
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A known personality, Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar once said –
"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open."
Keep in mind that health is everything; if you are healthy, you can face anything and enjoy your life as you want. Take care of yourself and enjoy your life to the fullest.
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