We age because of a decline in the hormonal production by the endocrine glands in the body. In medical school, doctors are taught that hormone imbalances and declines in hormone production occur as an inevitable consequence of aging. This isn’t so. Our hormones don’t decline because we age. Rather, we age because our hormones decline. Understanding this difference is very important. The key endocrine glands in the body are the hypothalamus, pineal, pituitary, thyroid, thymus, pancreas, ovaries, testes, and adrenals. All of these glands release hormones into your body’s bloodstream under the direction of the brain and nervous system in order to maintain your body’s harmony and balance.
The word hormone is derived from the Greek word hormone, which means “that which sets in motion,” and from the name of the ancient Greek spirit Horme, who personified energetic activity, impulse and effort. Hippocrates spoke of hormon when describing vital principles of health and healing, while Carl Jung referred to Horme when he wrote and spoke about the mental energy that drives unconscious activities and instincts. From the perspective of medicine, the word hormone means “to arouse or excite”. That’s because hormones are the chemical messengers in your body which, once they are secreted and enter the bloodstream, tell your cells what to do.
Hormones oversee and regulate virtually all of the countless processes that your body performs each day, ranging from the cognitive functions of your brain to the pace and rhythm of your every heartbeat. Hormones tell the body what to do with the information it receives from the outside (your external environment). Reduced hormonal production will result in a wide range of symptoms which include poor sleep, loss of muscle mass, mood swings, unhealthy weight gain, and decreased immunity. It is the hormonal system of the body that most correlates to our mental and emotional makeup. It is clear to me that our bodies’ hormonal system responds to our outlook on the world and also influences that outlook. By restoring my patients’ hormone levels to optimal levels, they become much more positive, both mentally and emotionally. Their zest for life returns, and they become happier, more joyful, and more excited and passionate about the days and years ahead of them.
Energetic disruptions in the body due to toxins, stress, nutritional deficiencies and other factors interfere with proper hormone production.
As I address my patients’ hormone levels, the improvements in their overall health soon become apparent, not only to themselves, but to others. Their bodies typically become leaner, with better muscle tone, their skin improves, they have more energy, and they report a rejuvenation of their sex lives, enjoying sexual satisfaction as they did when they were in their 20s and 30s.
When it comes to staying young and healthy, the most important hormones are cortisol, DHEA, insulin, and the thyroid hormones, followed by the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, along with human growth hormone.
I am always looking to optimize the thyroid and adrenal hormones, as well as reducing the level of insulin in the body. Think of the thyroid gland as the fuel injection system of your car, and the Adrenals as the gas pedal.
Your adrenal glands, which are triangular in shape and located above your kidneys, act as your body’s energy reservoir. They play an integral role in both your energy levels, your ability to handle stressful situations, and are essential for proper functioning of your immune system,
Today, one of the most common health conditions I find among my patients is adrenal fatigue, also known as adrenal burnout. Adrenal fatigue is epidemic in our country. In traditional medical practices adrenal failure is recognized as a disease called Addison’s disease. In fact, President John F. Kennedy had Addison’s disease and treated it with cortisone for years. We’re not talking here about adrenal failure, but about adrenal fatigue which occurs when the adrenals are depleted. Yet it is definitely not being detected in most medical practices. Physicians don’t look for it. They don’t properly diagnose it, and they don’t treat it correctly. When patients come to me and complain about lethargy, fatigue, lack of energy or a reduced sex drive, or that they just don’t have the same energy or the same sex drive, in almost all cases at the root of their problems, especially if they are past their thirties, can be traced back to impaired adrenal gland function. Adrenal fatigue is caused primarily by chronic stress and poor lifestyle choices. The different stressors include mental, emotional, nutritional (gluten intolerance), environmental (pesticides), electro-magnetic, physical, and infectious. Lifestyle triggers include excessive coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, sugar consumption, skipped meals, and inadequate sleep.
For the Adrenal gland evaluation, get a fasting blood DHEA-S, and a Serum cortisol. Saliva tests where one can see a 24 hour rhythm of DHEA and Cortisol are the most exact way to look at the adrenal glands(one collects saliva every 4 hours starting at 8 AM, and ending at 4AM the next day).
The adrenals have the highest need for Vitamin C of any of the organs of the body. Take 2-4,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. Other adrenal nutrients are Vitamin D, Magnesium, and B complex. Helpful herbs include licorice, ashwaganda, holy basil, rhodiola, black currant and Siberian ginseng. DHEA is one of the key adrenal hormones, and works well as an oral supplement. Women need 10 mg daily, and men do best with 50 mg. Pregnenolone is also very helpful for women.
Healthy people view stress as a challenge. People with adrenal fatigue view stress as a threat. They overreact to minimal stressors, causing their adrenal glands to secrete more cortisol and DHEA, and when those reserves are depleted, the adrenal glands secrete adrenalin, heart rate goes up, agitation rises, and people wake up in the middle of the night wired. Ultimately, the inner work that one does will be most helpful. Deep abdominal breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, daily connection with nature, vacations, and laughter are so important. And the daily use of NuCalm, and its ability to promote restful sleep, coupled with its ability to synchronize brain waves and hormonal function, will prove to be one of the great health enhancement tools of our time.
An Exclusive Article for OIRF Supporters
From THE BRIDGE Newsletter of OIRF
Published March 2017
© Copyright 2017, Dr. Michael Galitzer, California, USA
