Something amazing is happening in women’s health. The fact that you are reading this means you are on the journey to recover your cycle wisdom. Women are breaking the period stigma and taking charge of their own health by learning more about their own menstrual cycles, and how they are connected to other women too. When women gather and share, we heal together.
Most of us have been in a conversation with friends, family members or colleagues where it’s often said, ‘Rather stay out of her way, it must be her hormones’.
The theme for this blog is to get into the reality of; What hormones truly are, what they do for our bodies, and how they work.
Let’s get something straight
We all have hormones, men included, and we all experience the effects of the different hormonal reactions we feel. The word hormone comes from the Greek word hormao, which means to arouse or excite. This is a perfect description of how a hormone operates.
They are very powerful chemical messenger molecules that travel throughout our bloodstream. The hormone molecules are like a key that looks for a receptor site (a lock) to attach to. This will result in a reaction, but only when and if the key fits into the lock to open the door.
These powerful little molecules are responsible for keeping our bodily functions running smoothly. Hormones are produced in our glands, like the hypothalamus, pituitary, and the pineal gland, which are found in the brain. Other organs, such as the ovaries, adrenal glands, thyroid, parathyroid and pancreas found in the rest of your body, also produce vital hormones to regulate our bodily functions.
Our hormones control much more than just our reproduction cycles, they also control our sleep, mood, appetite and energy.
Let’s look at a few amazing hormones:
- Oxytocin: This hormone is called your bonding hormone and is released when giving someone a hug, giving birth or breastfeeding your baby. This hormone promotes trust, relaxation and protects against stress.
- Insulin: This hormone is produced in the pancreas and is released to help drive sugar into the cells for energy.
- Reproductive hormones include estradiol, “estrogen” for curves, breasts and building your uterine lining. Another hormone, progesterone is released for calming and relaxation, and to keep uterine lining healthy too. Finally, testosterone for a singing libido, mood and enhanced energy.
- Other hormones include dopamine, serotonin, ghrelin, melatonin, adrenalin and cortisol.
Health, especially hormonal health is all about balance. We need the right amounts of these amazing hormones to feel happy, rested and calm for our reproductive systems to work optimally. Our reproductive health serves as a barometer for our overall health. When it comes to survival, your body will prioritise breathing, circulating blood, digestion and detoxification before allowing a baby to be produced. This makes sense right? Your reproductive hormones have to be in perfect balance to allow for a baby.
This is why our menstrual cycle is SO valuable. It’s our monthly report card, that allows us to reflect on how healthy we have been during our last cycle, and indeed if all our hormones (including stress hormones, thyroid and reproductive hormones) are in balance. Our harmony or imbalances will show up, especially during our Luteal phase or the week before our period starts.
So the next time you hear someone say ‘it’s her hormones’, bring their attention to the fact that everybody has hormones, and it’s a matter of staying in balance to be a healthier and happy you.
It’s time to break the period stigma together.
In order to reclaim our full selves, to integrate each of these aspects through which we pass over the course of our lives, we must first learn to embrace them through our cycles.
The more we talk and share, the more we will heal. At the Healthy Hormone Club we are very passionate about gathering, sharing and restoring our hormonal imbalances together. I want to invite you to join our courses, workshops or Moon Sister Gatherings to be part of the club, and invite your friends, and join the conversation. Let’s heal together & restore our balance.
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