Lifestyle Practices And Hormonal Balance - Part 1

Our lifestyle practices and hormonal balance are directly related to each other. But when you think of lifestyle, what is the first thing that hits your mind? Definitely not your hormonal balance, right? Lifestyle simply means the way one carries their daily-to-day life. And while choices about clothes, house, assets are often confused as the metric of a good lifestyle, they are not. 

A good lifestyle constitutes correct routine, nutrition, skincare, and mental care. And the majority of us fail to do just that: lead a good lifestyle. And the surprise for women here is that their lifestyle practices define their overall health and wellness. 

When we think of hormones, we often see them as these problem-causing agents inside our bodies over which we have no control. But that’s so not true. Hormones play a significant role in carrying out the necessary bodily functions required to keep us healthy. And although secreted inside the body, the production of hormones is highly dependent on our lifestyle, nutrition, fitness skincare, and mental wellness. 

What are hormones and how does our lifestyle affect them?

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by various endocrinal glands. They travel through the bloodstream to their targeted tissues and organs and deliver messages, directing the organs what to do and when to do it. Also, Hormones play an essential role in regulating most major bodily processes.

And if we don’t provide our body with the correct lifestyle, nutrition and skincare routine, these hormones could go awfully haywire, consequently causing a myriad of life-altering symptoms and lifestyle disorder.

Hormonal imbalance is indeed a serious concern. And it happens because of too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. And these imbalances are caused by poor nutrition, lifestyle and skincare habits. Some of the significant medical conditions that can result from a hormone imbalance in case of women –

1. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
2. Endometriosis
3. Infertility
4. Hairfall
5. Acute Acne
6. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
7. Early menopause
8. Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
9. Ovarian cancer
10. Diabetes

Hormonal imbalance can also seriously hinder the effective functioning of our body. And we women go through a lot of disconnected symptoms throughout the month which we often accept and submit to the suffering because we don’t know what’s causing these imbalances or symptoms in the first place.

We seek treatment for the symptoms and invest ourselves again in a destructive lifestyle, which is bound to bring back the imbalance and with it, the symptoms. A vicious loop of hell!

Our lifestyle practices and habits play a huge role in maintaining the good balance of our hormones. If we simply make some minor changes, we can save ourselves from what looks like a never-ending loop of suffering.

Lifestyle Practices that cause hormonal Imbalance:

Nutrition & Hormonal Imbalance

Most of us have heard the phrase “Food is Medicine”. Well, it’s not just a phrase, it’s the universal truth. Have you ever wondered, why nutrition correction is the first step in treating any kind of lifestyle disorders?

Because the precursor to these lifestyle disorders is poor nutritional choices in the first place.

It is necessary to nourish our body with the basic building blocks (protein, complex carbohydrate, fibre and unsaturated fat) found in whole foods that help in optimizing hormonal function. It is important to note that poor dietary choices, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies can trigger the hormonal dysfunction.

The primary reason for poor nutrition choices is man-made foods. Foods containing refined carbohydrates, bread, pasta, rice, sweets, biscuits, pastries as well as added sugar or artificial sweeteners are poison for health.

Did You Know: Sugar is a major cause of excess adipose tissue (fat tissue). This adds on to the risk of chronic disorders like PCOS, Diabetes, Obesity etc.

Apart from this, not eating enough food can result in decreased metabolism because body functions become slow to conserve energy. Since good metabolism is necessary so such condition considerably affects the balance of hormones.

Sleep deprivation & Hormonal Imbalance

Sleep deprivation can affect the whole functioning of the body. It has the power to cause imbalances in many hormones, and in turn, the imbalance of these hormones can trigger sleep deprivation. Some significant ways in which it affects us-

1. Lack of sleep can increase adrenal stress and cellular resistance to insulin. According to studies, people with sleep deprivation have shown abnormalities in insulin.
2. Acute or prolonged sleep deprivation can also increase TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). And this can result in fatigue, hair loss, and feeling cold.
3. It lowers leptin levels, which consequently affects our appetite.
4. Sleep deprivation can also affect sex hormones. It lowers testosterone levels which have a connection with low libido, low energy, and poor concentration.

Stress

Stress affects us by sending our body into what can be called flight or fight mode. Stressors can be divided into the following categories – Psychological stress; Physiological stress; Emotional; Immunological; and Environmental.

Chronic stress affects our adrenal glands that help in producing stress-fighting hormones. These glands become exhausted that hinders them in effectively performing their part.

Exercise and harmful effects of intensive exercise

Studies conducted on this topic have pointed out that – low-intensity exercise may decrease cortisol ( stress hormone) levels; whereas moderate to high-intensity exercise may increase cortisol. And this increase is generally seen as acute. But one kind of exercise that can lead to chronic cortisol increase is intense endurance training.

Not getting essential fluids (dehydration)

Sweating is essential in maintaining the temperature of the body. But with this, we simultaneously lose essential electrolyte and fluids necessary for the functioning of the body. And it can result in dehydration.

Women go through monthly changes in estrogen and progesterone levels, and these changes, have an impact on our ability to hydrate. Also, Sodium levels play a key role because that’s what helps transport water into the blood, but the elevated progesterone levels make this process difficult. And, lack of essential fluids can significantly impact the balance of hormones.

Alcohol and drugs consumption

Finally, substance abuse, such as chronic alcohol consumption has serious adverse effects on the different components of the endocrine system Alcohol’s effects induce hormonal disturbances that lead to profound and serious consequences at physiological and behavioural levels. These alcohol-induced hormonal dysregulations affect the entire body and can result in various disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, reproductive deficits, immune dysfunction, certain cancers, bone disease and psychological and behavioural disorders.

It’s surprising how small lifestyle practices like the above mentioned can wreak havoc on the natural balance of our hormones.

Important: There is a correct way to lead a lifestyle and then there is the easy way. It’s our choice which way we choose. And the sum of our choices equals the quality of our health! Health is not our choice, it is our greatest responsibility.

The Components of Correct Lifestyle

Having a correct lifestyle means having a robust life routine, one which takes care of every aspect of our health. As women, we go through multiple body changes and symptoms owing to our menstrual cycle and hormones. This makes it even more important for us to have a comprehensive and holistic lifestyle routine. 

In the next article, I will discuss in detail the exact components of correct lifestyle, which will help you to bring your health back in order and control. Till then here is an essential tip:

Good Health Tip: Drink at least 12 glasses of water a day to maintain your good health. Of all the benefits water brings, maintaining blood volume is one of the important things that you should bear in mind, the next time you procrastinate your water intake.