We know we have hormones but do we even know what they do? I’ll let you know what’s going on in our body! When I first started observing how I felt when I’d read an angry text or watch an awesome show/movie I realized I could FEEL my hormones going through my body. This is how I became conscious of my body and how I could stop feeling “that type of way” during an uncomfortable situation. I used to be a very angry person, who can relate? But now I passively listen and observe and I don’t let my body control me, I control my body! Have you ever been in a heated texting match with your partner because you just need to get your point across, and you can feel your blood boiling? Or how about when your stomach is grumbling or you feel so full that you can’t eat another bite? These are all messages from our hormones! Many hormones are created in the gut and sent to the brain via the gut-brain axis so it’s so important to maintain a healthy gut!! (Check out my post on the link between the gut and brain!)
Ghrelin – is our hunger hormone, this increases when we have a LACK of sleep! Make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to keep this in balanced because this hormone regulates our appetite. If we aren’t getting restful sleep, our appetite will crave very unhealthy things like sugar and salt at very unhealthy times!
Leptin – is our satiety hormone, this is released when we are feeling full, therefore, decreasing our appetites. So when you feel like you’re full DON’T OVER EAT!!! Even if you feel like you’re wasting food, be conscious of how much you can eat beforehand so you don’t feel regretful later about wasting food. This hormone increases our metabolism.
Insulin – this is something everyone has obviously heard of, diabetics everywhere! Insulin converts glucose into glycogen (stored glucose) and fat and it lowers blood sugar by converting glucose into energy. It stimulates the absorption of amino acids as well as protein synthesis in our muscles.
Growth hormones – also stimulates protein synthesis and amino acid absorption. It breaks down fats for energy and it promotes cell production.
Glucagon – breaks down glycogen for energy by increasing blood glucose levels, this results in a release of insulin.
Testosterone – these are male sex hormones, women also have this in small amounts. It regulates protein synthesis as well as increasing muscle and bone density growth.
Estrogen – these are the primary female sex hormones also found in small amounts in men. It enhances HDL blood levels (good cholesterol) so it’s vital to keep this in balance because excess can lead to breast cancer and heart disease, and watch out for those estrogen mimickers everywhere! (Check out my blog on endocrine disrupters). It also increases growth hormone and cortisol and promotes lung function.
Cortisol – this is released when we are stressed, so excess cortisol will store and lead to chronic inflammation. When cortisol is released, it raises the heart rate, pressure, and glucose levels in response to the stress. This is responsible for breaking down proteins and fats for energy. Try observing how you feel the next time your blood is boiling, that’s cortisol running through your blood.
Adrenaline – breaks down glycogen and fat for energy, it’s released when we are ready to fight or flight. High levels of adrenaline as a result of chronic stress can also lead to chronic inflammation and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Remember chronic inflammation leads to illnesses such as heart disease and obesity.
Oxytocin – is the hormone that is released during childbirth and sex, it’s also found in breast milk. It’s the hormone that is also released when we stare into a cat, dog, or baby’s eyes and feel that feeling of unconditional love!
Dopamine – this hormone regulates how our brain perceives and experiences pleasure, which is when it is released. Constantly releasing this hormone can lead to addictive habits to recreate that pleasurable experience.
Seratonin – this is responsible for regulating mood, sleep, and digesting food. 95% is created in the gut, so consider most mental health issues like depression and anxiety may just stem from an imbalanced gut. Excess serotonin may cause sleep issues, while low serotonin leads to crippling anxiety, it’s all about maintaining a balance.
Melatonin – this hormone is created in our pineal gland when it begins getting dark outside to let our brain and bodies know it’s ready to wind down and get ready for bed. This regulates our circadian rhythm and when we have artificial light all around us, including TVs and cell phones the blue light depletes our melatonin production which can cause all sorts of sleep and health issues.
There are so many other hormones that I haven’t mentioned, these are just some that we’ve all heard of at some point in time and could perhaps be familiar with. We should all know what happens in our bodies!!
Health Energy 