O hormonih za srečno življenje!

Hormones are very potent molecules that have their targets all over the body and have many roles in it. And because we (and our bodies) are different from each other, the hormones play with each other in each of us. That is why there is no simple and miraculous solution to the problem, but we must also participate in the treatment ourselves, pay attention to the well-being and responses of the body.

Hormones in the body drive, begin and end digestive processes, involving the processes of emotions, thoughts and actions. They are mostly made for specific tasks. Once released in the body, they are also consumed, lost, excreted in the processes they are associated with. Too high or too low amounts of hormones that are in the body for (too) long cause a lot of confusion and damage to health. When such a condition lasts for a long time, the hormonal imbalance also becomes apparent in mood and behavior.

The first signs can be masked, so we can only detect the disease

Hormones are produced in two ways: they are secreted by glands or they are formed by tissues in the same place where they also work. The balance or harmony of hormones means that the values of each individual hormone in the body are in the optimal range, and at the same time they must be in the right proportions. Each individual hormone has its own functions and affects specific tissues, while also affecting other hormones in the body. Therefore, it is very important that the hormones in the body are in optimal amounts and in balance with each other. It is very important to control the hormones of the adrenal glands, thyroid and pancreas, which have a very strong effect on the remaining hormones. Prolonged and large fluctuations in hormone or hormones alter the course of many other processes in the body, leading to disease.

The first signs and problems are most often resolved by the body without our knowledge, sometimes even concealed, so we only notice them when we really get sick. Different hormones have different but well-defined functions in the body. There are many of them and almost every one of them also affects the psyche, which is expressed in well-being. Testosterone, for example, is a male hormone, but it also has a pronounced effect on determination, clarity of thinking, the cardiovascular system, muscles, bone mass and more in the female body and in both sexes. When it is (too) low in a woman's body, this is expressed by depression and indecision, as well as extreme sensitivity.

Progesterone is known as the female sex hormone, but it is also present in the male body. In functional medicine, it is considered to be the protector (especially of the female) of the body, especially against cancer, and it affects many tissues: skin, fat, muscles, brain. Low levels of progesterone give the image of a nervous, restless, antisocial person who is also indecisive, sleepless (with night sweats). There is already a small lack of progesterone (and estrogen is predominant), so problems such as constant fatigue, muscle and nervous tension, irritability, aggression, anxiety and anger, panic and anger attacks, increased sensitivity and pain perception, insomnia with increased nervousness, premenstrual tension with tenderness and tension of the breasts, swollen and tense abdomen, premenstrual bloating, accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, menorrhagia and excessive bleeding, deep pain during intercourse, redness and swelling of the face, enlarged and painful breasts, .

Estrogen stimulates the sympathetic nervous system in women, leading to anxiety and irritability (if in excess), whereas progesterone stimulates the parasympathetic system. which leads to calmness. So adding progesterone and balancing hormones leads to well-being, resulting in satisfaction. Low levels of thyroid hormones usually cause constipation, weight gain, slow thinking and “fog in the head”, affecting the appearance and quality of hair, skin and nails.

Significant fluctuations in cortisol (an adrenal hormone) also affect hair (hair loss), nails and skin (freckles on the outside of the hands) and altered body shape, causing severe mood swings, squabbling, aggression and insomnia. All this can happen in the body when the values of individual hormones are still within normal limits - according to current medical criteria, such a person is not sick, although his well-being is in fact far from adequate.

Hormones need to be attuned

The body detects fluctuations in the amounts of hormones secreted and responds to it! This can manifest as depression, fatigue, poor libido, nervousness, swelling, hair loss, weight gain, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular problems, malignancies ... The fact that thyroid hormones are among the most powerful hormones in the body should not be overlooked. In conjunction with them, other hormones can support or disrupt the body’s functioning, so it’s important that they are attuned.

Ivica Flis Smaka, Ph.D. med., spec.