Hormonal Influences on Weight, Mood, and Aging

1. Hormonal Influences on Weight, Mood, and Aging

2. Tao “Those who wish to change the world according with their desirecannot succeed.“The world is shaped by the Way; It cannot be shaped by the self. Trying to change it, you damage it; Trying to possess it, you lose it.” - Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

3. Wellness The expression of the body’s ongoing capacity to adapt to constant changes in the environment, emotions, and internal physiology.

4. Intelligence

5. Primary Causes of Chronic Degenerative Disease in the US • Poor Stress Management • Excessive Sugar and Caffeine • Lack of Proper Rest • Exposure to Environmental Toxins

6. Resulting Hormonal Imbalances • Excessive cortisol (followed by depletion) • Excessive Insulin Secretion followed by Insulin Resistance • Excessive Epinephrine / Adrenaline • Lack of Dopamine / Endorphins • Adrenal shift that depletes estrogen / progesterone

7. Excessive Cortisol • Down regulated immune system – reduced healing • Increased blood pressure • More blood flow to brain, muscles, heart, lungs for fast thinking, fast running, and fighting off attack • Less blood flow to deep internal organs • Slowing of digestive function causing impaired digestion and elimination • Reduced absorption of nutrients • Chronically elevated blood sugar

8. Excessive Cortisol • Depletion of vital resources used by glands – fats, stored sugars, B-Vitamins • Reduction of neurotransmitters involved in relaxation (serotonin, endorphins) • Increase in excitatory hormones and neurotransmitters – cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine • Increased systemic inflammation • Disruption of normal sleep rhythms

9. Chronically Unbalanced Insulin • Increased fat storage / obesity risk • Decreased appetite regulation • Destabilized blood sugar • Results in more cortisol issues • Results in sugar addiction • Difficulty with mental focus • Sleepiness / fatigue • Reactive hypoglycemia • Serotonin instability • Pro-inflammatory state of hyperglycemia / hypoglycemia

10. Excessive Epinephrine / Adrenaline • Interrupted sleep patterns • Degenerative changes in the central and peripheral nervous systems including short-term memory problems • Hypertension / poor auto-regulation of blood pressure • Depletion of endorphin / serotonin / dopamine / GABA • Reduced natural exfoliation of skin • Suppression of immune function and resulting decrease in self-repair and maintenance

11. Dopamine / Endorphin Imbalance or Depletion • Mood disturbances • Reduced ability to experience pleasure • Appetite regulation problems • Increased risk for addictive behaviors / thrill seeking / drug abuse • Hypertension / poor auto-regulation of blood pressure • Altered immune function and resulting decrease in self-repair and maintenance

12. Adrenal fatigue and sex steroid depletion

13. The Result of Long-Term, Poorly Managed Stress, Diet, Sleep • Alteration of hormone output at brain • Adrenal stimulation is chronically increased which causes imbalance in other hormones including reproductive, thyroid, and others • Hormone resistance and insensitivity in both in brain and peripheral tissues • Cells are overwhelmed and doing best to cope with overload state • Feedback loops are interrupted and destabilized • Tissue repair deficits due to lack of sleep, down-regulation of immune system • In other words, accelerated aging • Severe depletion of resources used by glands to produce critical hormones • A vicious cycle that becomes locked in place • This is the body’s attempt things as simple as possible

14. Hidden Sources of Stress • Not enough water • Too much caffeine • Refined sugar • Eating too much, too often • Eating at the wrong times • Eating too much processed foods the body can’t understand • Eating too much of one type of food • Not enough sleep • Not enough movement • Lack of humor • Lack of intimacy and touch • Lack of social engagement/positive interactions with other people • Being overcommitted

15. The Physiology of Relaxation • Balanced digestion • Effective assimilation of nutrients • Healthy blood sugar and insulin regulation • Healthy immune system • Adequate tissue repair • Increased output of pleasure and sleep hormones • Increased responsiveness/less resistance to endogenous or exogenous hormones* • Adequate replenishment of hormonal and nutrient reserves • Adequate elimination of excess hormones and hormone by-products • Reduced systemic inflammation • Plentiful blood flow to the organs, including intestines, adrenals, liver, ovaries and uterus

16. How to Repattern Stress Cycles and Restore Harmonious Function • Therapeutic Nutrition • Regular exercise • Increases circulation, literally discharges stress • Deep abdominal breathing • Only “autonomic” activity we can consciously control • Slows the body, calms the mind, massages abdominal organs • Visualization

17. Where does Acupuncture fit in to all of this? • Research has shown that acupuncture: • Strongly modulates stress hormones • Changes blood circulation patterns • Can alter hormonal signals in the brain • Acupuncture, therefore, can be a “jump-start” for hormone balance and a helpful therapy for maintenance

18. Recommended Reading When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate, MD