What is the endocrine system

Hormones?  They’re a mystery sometimes.  And what is the endocrine system anyways?  I’ll break down the endocrine system for you and help you to understand why it will help your hormonal issues.

What is the endocrine system?

There is a mystery behind our hormones that can be scary.  Scary because it’s not understood.  But knowledge is power and understanding what the endocrine system is can actually go a long way in helping your hormones.  In fact, this is the exact reason why I started learning about the endocrine system.  See My Hormonally Challenged Journey here.

It wasn’t until I really started suffering that I started to learn ‘what is the endocrine system’.  I didn’t necessarily notice anything different at first.  I was busy because life was hectic – and, I thought I could ‘do it all’.  I kept burning the midnight oil because I thought I could.  I was a ‘Super Woman’ in my mind – until one day, I wasn’t.

Hormone’s affect

Our hormones affect us in many ways.  Not only do we ‘feel’ them when we are on our periods (or right before), but they are also working when we get hungry or when we’re feeling anxious.  Knowing this and how our body responds to things can really help you.

Breaking it down

Your endocrine system consists of the following glands / organs:

• Pituitary – this is located at the base of our brains.
• Thyroid – this is located at the base of the neck, near the Adam’s apple.
• Adrenals – there are two, each above our kidneys.
• Ovaries – located in your pelvis, in your uterus.
• Hypothalamus – sits above the pituitary gland.
• Pineal – in the middle of your brain – sometimes referred to as the ‘third eye’.
• Pancreas – located between your stomach and your spine.

Together, they make those ‘scary’ hormones.  When our hormones aren’t in the right balance, it can make us not ‘feel’ right.  You may feel anxious, tired, and depressed.  It’s not a fun feeling.  Each of these talk to one another in a sort of feedback mechanism so ensuring they are working at their best is very important.

For example, think about the last time you felt anxious or the last time you felt moody.  While these feelings are normal, when you feel them more than you would like, there could be a problem with your hormone balance.  These imbalanced hormones are what is the endocrine system.

Levels of hormones

Hormones have a ranking system, if you will.  Hormones at the top rank can affect those below them.  But, if any of the hormones are not in balance, it can throw everything off.  So, this is why you don’t feel right.  It all breaks down to our hormone health.

• Cortisol and Insulin – Problems here can cause Heavy Periods due to an imbalance in hormones.
• Pregnenolone and DHEA
• Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone – you may have issues with estrogen dominance / low progesterone or low T in women.
• Thyroid hormones and melatonin – a thyroid imbalance could cause you to have periods twice in one month.

As you can see, a lot of the issues you may have been facing could be because of an imbalance of hormones.  This is why healthy eating can help your hormones.  One way to do this is to detox your liver.  The good news is it’s relatively easy to do.

Check out my way to Detox your liver naturallly.  It just takes a little bit of awareness.  When you realize your eating habits may be the cause of your hormonal issues, you can start making those changes gradually.

Start listening to your body!