Weight Gain, Acne, Low Libido? Check Your Hormones And Restore Them Naturally

The human body is made up of trillions of cells. Each of these cells have to communicate with each other, and there are chemical messengers which do this kind of communication. These chemical messengers are called hormones, which are constantly communicating between these trillions of cells in the human body. Be it our immunity, our growth or repair, everything happens in the body with the help of hormones. Now, this communication can either be done in the right way or the wrong way. Any hormonal imbalance in the body means that the communication is not happening in the right way. Innumerable things can happen because of hormonal imbalance in the body, suggests celebrity fitness expert Luke Coutinho.

 

Luke says that hormonal imbalance can create lots of problems in the human body
Photo Credit: iStock

He shares fitness and health tips on Facebook page regularly. In one of his recent posts, he spoke about hormonal imbalance, and how it can cause weight gain, depression, acne, rapid ageing, mood swings and low libido.

Hormones behave differently for everyone. Testosterone, oestrogen, adrenaline, thyroxine and insulin are just some examples of hormones in the body. Hormones are produced by various glands in the body like pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid glands, testicles and ovaries. All these glands are part of the endocrine system. The endocrine system controls and regulates hormonal activities.

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Luke says that if our endocrine system is working properly, we can easily lose weight. "Our skin, hair and gut all remain healthy when there is hormonal balance in the body. Any misbehaviour in the body can be easily corrected by making a few changes, without depending on drugs (medicines) for a lifetime."

He refers to diabetes, a condition which is very common in India. Most people with diabetes are concerned about their blood sugar levels. But very few people pay attention to production of insulin, which is a hormone produced by pancreas. Most people are not able to deal with diabetes because they are not targeting the root cause of the problem.
 

Diabetes is quite common in India
Photo Credit: iStock

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"Most cases of type 2 diabetes are caused because of lifestyle and environmental factors, and can be reversed. The same is the case with thyroid, where instead of looking at our TSH levels, we need to see why thyroid gland isn't producing enough thyroxine. Thyroxine is connected to the liver, and certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the body. Looking at the symptomatic cause can be good for a while. But the problem is that medicines like birth control pills are all synthetic in nature and will have side effects. Also, it will mask the root cause of these hormonal imbalances," explains Luke.

He goes on to add that any kind of hormonal imbalance in the body will give us certain signs and signals. These can include hair fall, sudden gain in weight, digestive issues, unable to lose weight, constant fatigue, depression and anxiety and having a low sex drive. Luke mentions that he is not against the idea of medicines and agrees that they help us feel better. But treating the root cause of hormonal problem will help us get rid of the diseases instead of being continuously dependent on medicines.
 

Overeating can create hormonal imbalance in the body
Photo Credit: iStock

"It is our responsibility to work and get to the root cause of problems," says Luke.

It all comes down to improving our lifestyle. "When we create a good environment at our home, everything flourishes. The same is the thing with the human body, where we need to create the right environment for the hormones to behave in the normal way."

Mentioning about ways to improve lifestyle, he says that we must avoid both overeating and undereating as they create an imbalance in the body. It makes no sense to starve after overeating the previous night, he says.

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In the same way, we must avoid both over-exercising and under-exercising. Over-exercising can increase chances of developing injuries along with creating imbalance of hormones in the body.

Sleeping is the most important thing for restoring hormonal balance in the body. Sleeping gives room to cells to repair, regenerate and regrow. Cutting down on sleep can affect production of melatonin. A good night's sleep is induced by nature and we must not play with it.

Hormonal imbalances can be restored with the help of certain adaptogens such as ashwagandha, tulsi and basil. They work at a cellular level to restore hormonal balance and reduce stress.

Stress can create a lot of hormonal imbalance. Luke says that stress is responsible for a lot of health problems. Stress increases cortisol levels in the body, which affects all other hormones in the body.

The right amount of Vitamin D helps in regulating hormonal balance.

Increase intake of probiotics and prebiotics in order to improve your gut health.

"There is no shortcut when it comes to creating hormonal balance. No one cares about your health except you. Get into the root cause of problems," concludes Luke.
 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.