Pandora's Box? The Endocrine System

Our first step together will begin with how to understand your body a bit more.

Knowledge of our body and how it works is constantly evolving. One of the most fascinating things that is currently gaining steam in the medical community is how the metaphysical affects the physical. Otherwise put, how do your emotions, feelings, non-physical environmental variables (stress) affect your physical health?

So where do we begin with exploring our body? I'm choosing to jump into the murky waters of our hormones.

Why? Because I love a challenge. And because hormonal support is so needed today. Our culture often doesn’t even know what normal is anymore! Chronic fatigue is not NORMAL. Unexplained wild weight gain is not NORMAL. Needing anti-depressants is not NORMAL. We as health care consumers won’t make a change unless we know change is needed and possible.

Our physical body is so much more than just a machine. Unlike a car, I can't just find a leak and patch the hole. Holistic care that takes into consideration physical and metaphysical and often spiritual health is fast becoming standard of practice. If your healthcare provider does not acknowledge a need for holistic care, are you really being cared for?

Let’s start with the endocrine system. Our hormone system, as science understands right now, is made up of 10 different glands scattered throughout the body. Some are in the brain, some in the chest and abdominal area and also in the pelvis.

Each gland secretes specific hormones and each hormone affects how the other glands function. So you can see the challenge that figuring out a hormone imbalance can present to finding the root cause of a particular issue. It is often like sorting through a plate of spaghetti or trying to decide "the chicken or the egg" when addressing hormone imbalances.

For example, when someone has a thyroid imbalance the root cause may not be a thyroid issue. It could be that they have a huge amount of stress in their life that has caused their adrenals to get stuck over-producing cortisol (the stress hormone) which then causes a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) imbalance.

Unless a healthcare provider is willing to be a real health detective and consider their client from a holistic perspective they will miss the metaphysical piece of the above scenario. And finding that “stress” piece would never happen from a blood test or a 2 min conversation with a provider.

In my next post I want to talk about the pituitary gland. It is often considered to be the “master gland” even though it is no bigger than a pea.  I'll share some of my favorite alternatives to soda (pop to some of you).  We'll also look at a 'productive' exercise that is good for the body and the soul.

On the journey together,


Clint and Joy