Tag Archives: health

Just How Important Is Hormonal Balance

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Women know all too well what chaos our cycles bring into our lives every single month.  And –  even though pregnancy brings our little bundles of joy, it also brings a bundle of CRAZY with all of the hormone level changes.  Since hormones run our bodies, they also run our lives.  We are all aware that hormones change and surge, but just how important is hormone balance?  When they get out of balance, it rains down a ridiculous amount of maladies on us.  This can also affect men!

Each stage of life brings different challenges as well as physical changes.  Anyone over the age of 18 has experienced or at least heard of PMS, pregnancy hormone changes, post partum changes, and menopause changes.  Don’t forget perimenopause and post-menopause.  Hormones are always present and working in our bodies!  The balance is what is most important.  Personally, I am post menopause for a couple of years now.  These hormone levels change and get out of balance, which affects us in SO many ways – some of which may be very surprising!  

This has directly affected me, so I felt led to dig in and research this.  According to many sources such as Myclevelandclinic.org, Healthline.com, Mindbodygreen.com, hormonal imbalances can drastically affect our general health.   Typical symptoms of hormone imbalance are hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, low libido, fatigue, and mood swings.  A surprising sign of a hormonal imbalance is also inflammation, including joint pain, swelling and stiffness.  Digestional issues that indicate poor “gut health” may also be caused by a hormonal imbalance.  

In addition to these general health disruptions, a hormone imbalance can also directly affect our metabolism.  Signs your metabolism is suffering from hormones being out of balance are:

  • Rapid or slow heartbeat (tachycardia)
  • Unexplained weight gain or loss
  • Fatigue, lack of energy
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements
  • Numbness and/or tingling in your hands
  • Higher than normal cholesterol levels
  • Uncommon anxiety or depression
  • Being unable to regulate body temperature (unable to tolerate cold or warm temperatures)
  • Dry, coarse hair and/or skin
  • Irregular body fat distribution
  • Darkened skin in armpit area or back and sides of your neck
  • Skin tags and/or skin growths
  • Extreme thirst and frequent urination

First things first ~ what are these hormones, and what purpose do they serve in our bodies?  Here is a brief breakdown, courtesy of research by emetabolic.com.

Estradial / Estrogen:  influences the way joint tissues assist with bone production and rebuilding, promotes muscle growth, and decreases muscle breakdown.  Estrogen protects joints from weakening, protects against osteoarthritis, and reduces the likelihood of joint replacement.  Lower than optimal estrogen levels have been repeatedly linked to osteoarthritis.  

Progesterone:  is widely reported to be anti-inflammatory.  Our bodies convert progesterone into cortisol, known as the “stress” hormone, one of the more powerful anti-inflammatory naturally recurring resources in our bodies.  Studies have shown that progesterone actually reduces neuropathic pain.

Testosterone:  as an anabolic hormone, it aids in the building and strengthening of tissues.  It has also been proven to reduce inflammatory markers.

Cortisol:  reduces inflammation and controls the body’s immune response.  Our adrenal glands release cortisol in stressful situations; this is intended to be short-term to handle a serious, unexpected stressor, (for example, sudden braking or swerving to avoid an auto collision) and should then return to normal levels.  Chronic, long-term stressful situations cause a problem in that the adrenal glands are active too often, which depletes cortisol levels.  This depleted cortisol level leads to inflammatory processes being out of control which leads to pain, swelling, and tissue damage.

So, how do we know for sure a hormone imbalance is the culprit of a myriad of problems?  What do we do about it?  

The very first step is to make an appointment with your doctor.  Have your blood drawn, and a full hormone panel run to find out what your numbers are and where your levels are.  Discuss all of your concerns and symptoms with your doctor, and any options available to you.  I cannot stress enough just how crucial this first step is!

The next step – you’ve likely already guessed!  Lifestyle and health habits. . . Exercise and nutrition!  Chemically enhanced and processed foods are YOUR ENEMY!  Just don’t eat them.  Seriously.  There are so many delicious clean, healthy, whole foods that taste delicious and will make you feel better!  I’ll break down some specifics with nutrition in next week’s blog.  For now, please work on eliminating (or at least decreasing) foods with dairy, gluten, and excessive sugars in them.  Shop around the outside of the grocery store.  If you look at the ingredient list on a bag, box or can, and you don’t recognize most of the things listed – put it back on the shelf.  

Make sure you’re taking a good multi-vitamin daily.  It would be a great idea to add a probiotic, and ground flaxseed or flax oil into your daily routine as well.  

Exercise!  My friends – just get up and move.  Find what you enjoy and do more of that.  Do you love music?  Try dance fitness classes!  Do you love being outdoors?  Go on more hikes and walks!  Get a group of friends to work out with you.  Group walks, boot camps, workouts – any of these things will beat sitting on the couch eating unhealthy things!   Find an accountability partner or group.  If you are local to me (McDonough, Georgia), you are more than welcome to join FTM Wellness Boot Camp and Yoga classes!  (Just click on the tabs in the menu for more information.)

If any of these things hit home with you, go ahead and make that doctor’s appointment.  Choose today to eat cleaner and move more.  Let’s face it, friends.  Hormones rule our bodies and our health, emotional, mental, AND physical.  I am currently half way through a Hormone Health Coach certification course, and it is absolutely fascinating and mind boggling. If it’s all a little overwhelming, and you would like help navigating  these things, I would love to help you!  

Hello December!

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And just like that, we are into December – official Christmas season, busiest time of the year, and the last month of 2024.  Are you feeling holly and jolly or stressed and exhausted?

It just might come as a surprise if I told you that what you really  need in your life is exercise and healthy foods.  I’m sure you’re thinking – seriously?  ONE MORE THING?!  Well, with love and sincerity, YES!  Here’s the hidden thing about exercise. . . it’s MORE beneficial emotionally and mentally than it is physically.  I promise!  Any time you move your body – dancing, lifting, running, stretching, walking – your brain releases chemicals called dopamine and endorphins.  These make you feel happy and energized!  When I say exercise, I don’t mean you have to dedicate hours each day and slave away at a gym.  All you have to do is plug in 20 to 30 minutes!  Maybe once you’re good and awake, you get in a little pilates or yoga, get some steps in on a treadmill or pedal on a stationary bike, do some pushups and situps, or even dance around your room as you get ready.  Since it’s the Christmas season, plug in some Christmas music and rock around your Christmas tree!  Any exercise gives your body the very best outlet to release stored stress!  You’ll feel better, your mood will be happier, and you’ll find that you have just a little more energy.

And then there’s the other tricky thing:  healthy foods.  Tis the season for parties, cookies, baking, eating out and on the run. . . I completely understand!  Just keep in mind that sugar increases inflammation, decreases your immune system, and leads to major energy crashes.   Be intentional and strategic about your meals this season.  Keep prepping healthy meals and take those with you when you can.  Make sure you prioritize getting in lean protein with each meal.  It IS possible, I promise!!!  Order grilled chicken and seafood over fried, and lean cuts of steak.  Order baked potatoes, veggies of the day or salads with vinaigrette dressing  when available side substitutions.  Getting in healthy nutrition goes a long way in keeping you fueled up appropriately for marathon days that include working, shopping, transporting children to and from practices and school events, and those Christmas gatherings and parties.  YES, by all means, enjoy the parties and treats!  If you’ve balanced your meals with healthy choices, these treats won’t be terrible.  I’m willing to bet that the vast majority of holiday gatherings will have a few healthy options with veggie trays, sandwiches with protein sources, and maybe less sugary dips.  Even the occasional festive drink is fine.  All of these party things in moderation will keep you humming along.

With the colder weather setting in just in time for all of the holiday things, our immune systems can become compromised.  Be sure you’re taking your vitamins, especially Vitamins C and D, drinking plenty of water, and minimize your sugar intake as much as possible!  Make getting quality sleep a priority. Keeping your diet balanced with healthy choices and keeping your body moving with some form of exercise will go a very long way toward keeping you healthier.  

Enjoy your holidays!  Make precious, wonderful memories with your friends and families!!  Christmas time is absolutely magical, and only lasts for a minute.  So soak it all in. . . January is right around the corner, bringing in a whole new year.  In your few moments of down time, reflect on all you’ve accomplished in 2024 and what you would like to achieve in 2025.  Investing in that healthy balance right now will insure smooth sailing for you and your new 2025 goals!!

As always, I’m here to help!  Please feel free to email or message me if you would like to chat about your goals and how best to achieve them!

Merry Christmas!!!

Transform ~ R

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We all love dreaming about making a great transformation, don’t we?  Did you start on a transformation journey back in January?  Have you been following along with the Transform series here?  Once you get rolling, whether you see change and growth in your health & bloodwork numbers, grades in college courses, endurance and strength improvements in workouts, better sleep, fitting into smaller clothes sizes – you ARE transforming!

Here are the steps we’ve discussed so far:

T – Time; true transformation takes time.  Trust the process and make the best use of the time you have.

R – Remove; remove all negative thoughts, unhealthy foods, and time wasting activities that prevent you from being your most productive

A – Add; Add in more water, healthier foods, more rest, more workouts, lift heavier weights, run/walk a little farther.

N – Nutrition; Fuel your body for these workouts, better sleep, and burning body fat by being intentional with your food choices!

S – Shape; Building muscle improves your shape.  Eating healthier meals, making the most of your workouts, being consistent, sticking to morning and evening routines shape your habits!

F – Faith; our bodies were Divinely designed!  God has gifted each of us with gifts, talents, and purpose.  Improving and maintaining our health and fitness levels ensure we are FIT to serve!

O – out; get out of your comfort zone!  Challenge yourself, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.  If you don’t change anything, you can count on staying the same.  

And now we’ve moving our focus to~

R – REST; remember the caterpillar works really hard making that cocoon but then he rests.  Staying active and keeping up with your workouts is definitely important.  Just don’t overlook the importance of rest!  Your body and your mind need to shut down, recover and rest in order to become healthier and stronger.  Keep in mind that God Himself created the world in 6 days, then He rested.  He’s set the standard for us.

When we think about transforming, we typically think of all the work we have to do, right?  The workouts.  The meal prep.  Switching unhealthy habits for healthy ones.  We get so caught up in looking at the scale, and making sure we’re doing all the things that we all tend to overlook one of the most important puzzle pieces.  REST!    

One of the healthy habits we talked about adding was self care.  If you have created an evening and/or morning routine, I really hope that you included some self care and down time for yourself.  These lead to more productive rest and more sound sleep.

First things first – get that bloodwork done.  Get the mammogram.  Get the check up.

Then schedule the “body work” ~ routine chiropractic adjustments, neuromuscular massages, and yes, even pedicures.  Get those nails done.  Get your hair done.  Sit outside in the sun.  Read the book.  Dive into a Bible study.  Take a long, relaxing soak in a hot bath.  Go to lunch or dinner with a friend or relative;  it’s a great idea to make that a routine thing! Healthy relationships are like medicine!

You’re working your cardiovascular system and your muscles with the workouts, and you’re working every other system with daily life at work and with family.  Give yourself time to rest!  I guarantee that overtraining and failing to get adequate rest will sabotage your progress, AND your health.  Take care of YOU!!  Rest is most definitely as important as getting your workouts in and eating healthy meals!

And yes, of course, sleep is most definitely a huge part of getting rest. Our bodies NEED good, quality sleep, and there are SO many crucial benefits. It’s important to keep in mind the very real harm lack of quality sleep does to our overall health and wellness, even above and beyond our fitness journey. In order to truly be successful in any weight-loss, muscle-building, health improvement plan, we all need to follow this formula: Clean nutrition + Exercise + Rest/Self Care = Success

Here are just a few of the benefits you reap with seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night:

  • Our brains process and store information from the day while our bodies are “shut down.” This process is crucial for long-term memory storage
  • As we sleep, our brains release growth hormones and other chemicals that aid in repairing organs, muscles, and cells.
  • Quality rest allow the immune cells to work harder, which in turn aids our cells in fighting germs.
  • Quality sleep strengthens our hearts
  • Quality sleep increases exercise stamina and strength
  • Proper rest aids our bodies in not only losing body fat, but can also help to prevent weight gain
  • Quality sleep aids in decreasing inflammation
  • Aids in reducing stress levels

We have almost completed the breakdown to true TRANSFORM-ation success! All of these things will truly help improve you overall health and wellness, maintain a comfortable, healthy body weight, and boost your confidence and mood as you crush your very own transformation journey. As always, if you feel that a little accountability, guidance, and/or a balanced plan from a personal trainer or fitness coach is the missing piece for you, I am here for you! Please feel free to reach out to me through this site, or to email me at Fitteachermom@aol.com for more information. I genuinely would love to discuss your goals and obstacles with you!