Estrogen And Your Gallbladder: Friend or Foe?
I love hormone therapy if you’re a candidate BUT they are not without risks. Gallbladder problems or disease is a big one if you’re taking oral estrogen. This includes estradiol or Premarin capsules for menopause or the synthetic estrogen in birth control pills. Your gallbladder is a badass. It helps you break down fats from your diet. It stores bile from your liver and releases it when needed. However, when things go wrong, it puts you at risk for gallbladder pain, inflammation, stones, and possibly even needing surgery! Knowing this, how do estrogens play a role?
Hormones And Heart Disease: Why You Should Care
Despite being the number one killer of humans, heart disease isn’t sexy. Most people tune out when it comes up—and I get it. But because it is the number one killer, I do need you to pay attention, at least sometimes. Your heart health directly impacts your health span. Plus heart health is a category you don’t usually feel until it’s too late, unlike hot flashes. What Is Heart Disease? “Heart disease” refers to a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, including…
Low Melatonin, Hot Flashes, and Blood Sugar
Melatonin often gets billed as the “sleep hormone,” but that’s just scratching the surface. While it’s made in multiple places in the body, the melatonin produced in your brain’s pineal gland is the one that really gets around—it enters your circulation and influences everything from your temperature regulation to your metabolism. Here’s something fun: your body’s internal clock isn’t perfectly 24 hours. It runs a little short or a little long depending on the person. So every day, you have to reset your circadian rhythm—your internal timekeeper—using light, dark, and hormonal cues…
You Can’t “Out-Willpower” Your Hormones
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why can’t I <fill in the blank>” regarding your hormonal symptoms? Why can’t I stop eating after dinner? Why can’t I stop these cravings? Why can’t I have more energy? Why can’t I be less angry or emotional? Why can’t I be more motivated? The truth is, you can’t always out-willpower your hormones. In fact, it may feel like you only ask yourself these questions…
Is Stress Screwing Up Your Blood Sugar?
Have you noticed in times of stress, especially chronic stress, that you feel puffier, thicker around the middle, or become immediately hangry? One of your main stress hormones is called Cortisol. If cortisol had a resume, the first thing it would say is, “I increase your blood sugar!” Unfortunately, this is not talked about enough as stress could be part of the reason your blood sugar is higher than optimal and playing a role in your symptoms. Cortisol is a nervous system hormone made by your adrenal glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Yes, you have two adrenal glands! Cortisol is known as a gluco-cortico-steroid hormone. “Gluco” because it raises glucose (blood sugar) in times of stress so you have it readily available for your brain and muscles to fight or run…