Hi friends! This post is about the endocrine system is an intricate group of glands that produces and secretes hormones into the blood stream. These hormones quite literally keep things running smoothly within our bodies. This system is made up of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries and the testes. There are different disorders or diseases that can affect each of these systems. When a disorder strikes, it often affects the entire body. For instance, in my own personal experience I was diagnosed with Grave’s disease a few years ago. This is an autoimmune conditioned that is accompanied by hyperthyroidism. Before I knew what was going on, I couldn’t figure out why my nails were peeling, I was loosing weight without trying, my heart kept beating like it was trying to escape the confines of my chest, and eventually my eyeball seemed as if it was eager to take its leave from its socket.
After a doctors visit and some blood work I was informed that I have this autoimmune condition. I instantly was filled with questions. Why? How? And also, real quick – What the hell? The parts of my family that experience thyroid issues all have hypothyroidism. My body and system, the rebel it is, decided to just go the opposite direction. I started researching this condition, and others, so I might better understand how to help myself. In this research I learned a lot about the endocrine system, especially about something called endocrine disrupters. Up until this point I had considered myself a clean product user, well clean-ish! I learned that an entire slew of things can contribute to endocrine depletion. Environmental factors, cleaning products, our diet, and stress levels, to name just a few.
The products we use to clean our houses, cars and office spaces all can have a detrimental impact upon our endocrine systems. Cleaners filled with toxins and heavy metals are absorbed through our skin and when we breath them in, no matter how ventilated a space is, we still are able to inhale them. These toxins become bogged down in our endocrine system and our filtration system. After years of build up we become sluggish and feel terrible. Now before, I used the term “Clean-ish”. Yes, I used Thieves cleaner to wipe my counter tops down. But then I immediately used lysol or Clorox to clean the bathroom. I had no idea what was in these cleaning products, I also didn’t believe that the lovely smelling Theives cleaner would tackle the job of the bathroom. Boy was I wrong. I now use that to clean most things!
Our diet is also a contributing factor to how our endocrine system functions. In our society fast food is a commodity, especially with things such as DoorDash, Uber eats and Post Mates, available at the push of a button. A diet full of junk, essentially is going to make us feel like junk. I am totally guilty of still answering the siren call of Taco Bell on occasion. But not as often as I used to. Fast food is fast for a reason. Its mass produced with little care and concern for the consumer. Laden with additives and preservatives that would make our great-grandmothers toss and turn in their graves. The remedy I’ve found for me personally, is that it is totally alright to indulge in the occasional burrito or burger on the go. Rather than depriving myself of something and feeling crappy about eating it. I gave myself permission to enjoy it, as a treat! Which actually helped me make better choices for lunch during the week. Treat culture is good and bad, I chose to believe in the good! Incorporating more whole foods provides our bodies with the nutrients it takes to run well. Kind of like a well oiled machine. The nutrient dense food is the oil, our bodies the machine.
Stress levels today are higher than they have ever been. Especially due to rising costs of literally everything, increasing job demands and social “norms” that beg to be kept up with. Stress is produced in the form of cortisol – aptly named the stress hormone. Which affects the adrenal glands, and your entire body. Stress also likes to be a sleep disrupter, making things harder on your body, because when you don’t shut down and rest at night, your body doesn’t have time to process the events of the day and repair itself. Stress can lead to a plethora of health ailments. Heart disease, weight gain which can also lead to Type 2 diabetes and depression. These could all be results of elevated stress levels.
Environmental factors can play a contributing factor into the depletion of our endocrine system. This not only applies to our choice in cleaning products, what we chose to have for lunch and how much stress we are under. This also means the air we breath on a regular basis can also be filled with pollutants that wreak havoc on our bodies. Yes, thats right, those protesters are on to something!
The best advice that I have for anyone looking to help their endocrine system is to start now, or whenever you feel ready. It is good to prepare yourself for this journey, getting rid of all of the built up stuff can make you feel worse at first, but then much better. Remember to slow down, take a deep breath of fresh air, read ingredients and be mindful. Even if its one step at a time, thats still progress in my book, your health is important, and you are important my friend, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.
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