For the next few nutrition-based emails, I am going to focus on hormones because these guys have such a HUGE effect on our general wellbeing, our
moods and our ability to improve our body composition i.e. fat loss and muscle gain.
So, if you're feeling "hormonal" or suffering from any cycle related issues e.g. PMT, a cranky menopause, have "man boobs" or can't seem to shift the midriff fat no matter how hard you try then these next few nutrition emails are going to be just what the nutritionist ordered!
Hormones, their sub varieties, their actions and the way they are so intricately woven in with other systems in the body can make them a very complex topic - not forgetting the fact that there is so much yet to be discovered. The good news is that I'll be keeping it simple and focusing on the hormones primarily involved with weight management:
Cortisol
Insulin
Ghrelin
Leptin
and the sex hormones:
Oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
Hopefully, by
the end of the series you will remember everything and will be able to better understand why your body does what it does (which isn't always necessarily what you want it to do!) and you'll be able to lose weight through using nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes to promote a better hormonal balance.
Let's begin:
What
is a Hormone?
" A regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action" - www.oxforddictionaries.com
Thyroid stimulating hormone, calcitonin, angiotensinogen, amylin, prostaglandins..... etc..... 63 hormones found in Homo
sapiens according to a quick look at Wikipedia.... 63?! Sheesh no wonder it's important to keep protein up and cholesterol levels from dropping too low!
Most hormones are made of protein. They are called peptides. Peptides are short chains of amino acids; most hormones are peptides. They are secreted by the pituitary, parathyroid, heart, stomach, liver, and kidneys.
Some hormones are steroid based. Steroids are lipids derived from cholesterol (this is where statins may be an issue for many medical practitioners- is cholesterol being decreased to too low a level so as to reduce certain sex hormones too much?) Testosterone is the male sex hormone. Oestrogen similar in structure to testosterone, is responsible for many female sex characteristics. Steroid hormones are secreted by the gonads (ovaries and testes), adrenal cortex, and the
placenta.
Hormones are usually slow to act but, once they act, they remain active for long periods of time and, also, their effects remain for a long time.
10 of the 63 hormones belong to our Endocrine System.
This is the Endocrine System - ten hormone secreting glands. The purpose of the endocrine system is to maintain homeostasis - a stable equilibrium between interdependent elements. e.g. you are hot, you sweat - you are low on energy, you get hungry, your blood sugar is too high, insulin is released to take the sugar into the cells - the body is always trying to keep the balance and respond to changes in the external
environment to allow for survival, growth and reproduction.
When the chemical messengers, or hormones, are released they are passed through the blood to arrive at a target organ, which has cells possessing the appropriate receptor.
The body is a beautiful dance of all these hormones and in turn incredibly complex.
Ensuring your body has the best chance to stay healthy, keep lean, strong and with high energy levels starts with giving your body what it needs: Good nutrients, exercise, water, sleep and of course the utmost
respect.
To be continued... email coming soon: Oestrogen, the Hormone of Proliferation.
It all starts from within!
Kim
