When training as a nutritionist nearly 20 years ago, we were taught so much about the hormonal system and hormones and biochemical pathways of hormone metabolism, that it all got a bit ‘tunnel vision’ like. Sometimes we can easily lose sight of the WHOLE body system connection. I always encourage students to take a bird’s eye view of the WHOLE, otherwise, we just end up working at the symptom level and not addressing the underlying imbalance(s).
Here is a little snapshot of a bird’s eye view of the digestive system in connection to the hormonal system.
Looking at hormones in women per se, as to be honest the only men I see in clinic come in for gout, heart issues, blood pressure and weight but that is pretty much it. Women, on the other hand are a whole other story, we bear children, we have a sacred monthly cycle which beats to the universal luna rhythm. In some women this rhythm has gone askew, it may be disguised in the form of amenorrhea (no periods) anovulation, (absence of ovulation), delayed periods, missed periods and hot flushes (shift in life stage where the adrenals take over from the retiring ovaries) but at the end of it all these vital messengers are key to optimum health.
Today. I am sharing on how one system can impact hormonal balance in such a powerful and profound way that we need to be mindful about not only the food on our plate but how that food is digested, metabolized and assimilated.
Do you inhale your food or do you ACTUALLY chew it and taste it before swallowing? Our stomach does not have any teeth, so it is up to our mouth to do this VITAL job. Not only does this increase the surface area of the food for digestion but it also starts the digestion of the carbohydrates.
When food is inhaled, then we put unnecessary stress on our gut further downstream..this goes onto impact our precious microbiome.
Undigested food such as undigested proteins which are basically ‘strings’ of amino acids (building blocks of proteins) end up stimulating the immune system (inflammation) UN-NECESSARILY. This can result in dysbiosis as well as auto-immune conditions and hormonal imbalances
These hormonal imbalances include rage, mood swings, bloating, water retention, breast swelling, constipation, menstrual cramps and so forth.
Why does this happen? This happens because some of the enzymes in the microbiome increase in numbers due to this undigested food and inflammation. Although these enzymes are vital, however when they increase in number, they are not beneficial to the body, if anything they are quite harmful.
Basically these enzymes in the microbiome re-circulate the various hormones such as DHEA and the various forms of estrogens that were on their way OUT of the body back INTO the bloodstream, OUCH! In essence, these enzymes increase hormone levels in the body, by making these hormones re-absorbable when actually they should have been excreted out of the body.
So help yourself by firstly SITTING down to eat, AND NOT IN FRONT OF A SCREEN either, CHEW your food, taste your food, notice the colors, this sounds all too simple, right? But, it can be just this simple.
We can’t always blame our hormones when the real culprit is eating on the go and inhaling food. The undigested food is an unwelcome guest further down in the gut.
If you have hormonal issues, give this a try and see what happens.
I will be sharing about a very CRITICAL digestive organ in my monthly newsletter this month (subscribe here) and I will be offering a mini ebook to all my newsletter subscribers at a discounted price.
If you know of anyone with……
A thyroid issue especially underachieve thyroid
Constipation and they have tried pretty much everything
Indigestion
Nausea after eating or unexplained nausea
Pre-menstrual tension
Headaches
Then tell them about my upcoming newsletter as this mini ebook may just be their best Christmas gift ever. Also , if you would like to book a session drop me a line HERE, I am taking bookings for February 2020 onwards.
To slowing down
Khush