The Balancing Act
Human hormone systems are complex, yet it is easy to understand the concept of balance. The body is continuously trying to produce the correct mix of chemical hormones that will enable your entire system to function properly. This involves creating not too much and not too little of any one substance. Your body chemistry works best within certain ranges.Staying within these measurable ranges contributes to both physical and mental health. Natural chemicals made within your cells and organs form intricate feedback loops that control such things as fat storage, blood sugar, acid levels, enzymes and much more. Fortunately, once you understand the relationship between food and hormones, you will be better able to control and balance your own body chemistry.
What Are Hormones?
The word hormone is derived from the Greek verb hormao meaning to excite or arouse. In short, hormones are substances that arouse or stimulate hundreds of reactions within your body. Such things as sleep, emotional stress, exercise, alcohol, medications, caffeine and even smoking will affect these chemical messengers.
Hormones are the orchestra conductors of human life. They influence pain, mood, weight, fertility, sleep, digestion, immunity, energy levels, and more. Hormones can even alter the structure of your hair, skin, muscles and bones. These 24-hour a day messengers are produced by glands such as the pancreas, thyroid, adrenal and others. Like an army of soldiers, each carrying specific instructions, they control virtually every aspect of human physiology.
Food plays a powerful role in controlling hormone balance. Specifically, it is the amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats consumed that have well documented hormonal results. Scientists have repeatedly measured the swift and predictable Basic Hormone Facts 21 effects that certain food components have on various hormones. For example, we know that 100 calories of cornflakes has a very different hormonal effect than 100 calories of olive oil. Two of the most important hormones related to food are
insulin and glucagon. Anyone specializing in the area of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis or even cancer will be aware of the power of these metabolic messengers. For example, scientists have known for decades that excess insulin is strongly linked to such things as strokes, heart attacks, amputations, retinopathy (eye damage), neuropathy (nerve damage), kidney disease and other ailments. Glucagon, however, is the biological opposite of insulin.
