How Hormones Control Your Weight and Whole Body?

Hormones Regulating? Hormones balancing? Similar expressions have been more popular than ever; but do they really work and are scientifically proven?

Hormones influence everything from stress and mood to growth, sleep, reproduction, and, yes, even weight and eating habits. Hormone imbalances can cause several changes in your body and how you operate daily. Here are few examples: 

- Hormonal abnormalities, such as insulin resistance, are common in PCOS and other conditions.

- Weight gain may be connected to Estrogen dominance.

- Thyroid hormone deficiency causes hypothyroidism. Fatigue, digestive difficulties, dry skin, overall soreness and stiffness in your body, thinning hair, mental health troubles, and goiter are some of the indicators, in addition to weight increase or difficulty reducing weight.

- Overproduction of cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is linked to weight gain through overeating and increase in belly fat.

Taking a closer look over weight and hormones would mean simplifying the link between these two dimensions in the following words “The hormones leptin and insulin, sex hormones and growth hormone influence our appetite, metabolism (the rate at which our body burns kilojoules for energy), and body fat distribution”.

On the bright side, we can take the right steps to balance hormones and lose weight in a lasting, healthy way once we fully grasp the link between hormones and weight gain. It is usually related to aging, as well as lifestyle hormonal and genetic factors. So, excess or shortage of body hormones will disrupt bodyweight, similarly unbalanced bodyweight will disrupt body hormones. 

5 Proven Tips to Balance Your Hormonal Imbalance:

• Exercise reduces estrogen levels in obese women.

• Consume your fiber. Fibrous meals aid in the reduction of high estrogen levels.

• Consume vegetables from the cruciferous family. Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale are among them. 

• Reduce your endocrine disruptors exposure- chemicals that interfere with our natural hormones are known as endocrine disruptors. BPA-containing plastic containers, cans and water bottles should be avoided. Plastic should never be microwaved.

• Healthy Fats -build our hormones as well as reduce inflammation

Hormones in Women:

While hormonal imbalances are very common in women, due to the fact of their nature. Women often pass through long periods of hormonal imbalances without them noticing or acknowledging the reason behind these changes.

Read on to learn more about the relation between hormones & other health conditions.

As mentioned earlier, women go through hormonal imbalance during certain stages of their lives:

• Puberty
• Pregnancy
• Breast feeding
• Menopause

Other than the main stages when women are most prone to hormonal imbalances, there are other causes such as 𝐏𝐂𝐎𝐒 & 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬 like birth control pills

 Signs that show hormone imbalances in Women:

• Irregular periods can be a symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Chronic Acne
• Hair thinning
• Dry skin (Most common during menopause or can be a thyroid problem)
• Unexplained weight gain and increased hunger
• Vaginal dryness
• Unusual memory fog (Estrogen and Progesterone affect attention and memory)

On the good side, lifestyle changes that include weight loss & eating a balanced diet are key players in regulating body hormones to a great extent.

Having a healthy body & weight within the normal range has been proven to 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲.

Hormones in Men:

We rarely mention men and hormones in one sentence, But it's inevitably true!

Unhealthy diet, hormonal imbalances & other health conditions aren't exclusively related to women. That's why it's high time we shed a light over these highly abandoned topics...

Testosterone is the main hormone that affects several functions in men, so an excess or shortage in its production may lead to serious hormonal imbalances

What are the symptoms of hormonal imbalance in male?

• Decrease in beard growth and body hair growth
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of muscle or bone mass
• Breast tenderness
• Hot flashes
• Difficulty sleeping and headaches

What causes hormonal imbalance in men?

Understanding the common causes behind hormonal imbalances is one way to keep yourself safe:

• Stress
• Eating disorders
• Certain medications
• Trauma
• Poor diet and nutrition

Hormones play a major role in your overall health & wellness, that's why common hormonal conditions affecting men could lead to 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 & 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

On the good side, "nutritious diet and other healthy lifestyle behaviors may help improve your hormonal health and allow you to feel and perform your best." as quoted from Healthline

Whether you suffer from hormonal imbalance or not, going back to being healthy is a matter of time & consistency.