Where to Start if you feel Bad!

Do you feel out of balance but don't know where to start looking/testing? We all know that everything in the body is connected, and everything has to be communicating properly for your body to function.  This is called homeostasis. The endocrine system runs a vast majority of your body's communications and has long-reaching effects. You may be surprised at what symptoms your body's hormones are giving you as a signal that something is amiss.  If your endocrine system is out of balance, you may have symptoms in other areas of the body.  

Here are a few tips on what the culprit of your body's symptoms may be:

• If you are tired, check your thyroid. - If you are told that your blood work says your thyroid is fine, keep checking. Find someone else to check the functional levels if necessary. There is far more comprehensive testing than the basic panels.
• If you are depressed, check your adrenals and blood sugar.  If your doctor doesn't know how to do this, go elsewhere. It isn't all in your head, nor do you suffer from Prozac deficiency syndrome. Seventy-five percent of people with depression have physiological imbalances in their bodies.
• If you have lost your sex drive, check your entire endocrine system and sex hormones with a saliva test. - Blood tests are limited, and results are very dependent on what part of the month, even what time of day, you're test.
• If you have panic attacks, check your adrenals and change your diet. If you have asthma, again check your adrenal glands.
• If you have gallbladder problems, check your estrogen and cortisol levels. If you can't sleep, check your thyroid and estrogen levels.
• If you have heartburn, check your adrenal glands. If you crave sweets, check your blood sugar and rule out Candida. If you have allergies, check your thyroid.
• If you have hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia, check your estrogen levels.
• If you have PMS, cramps, migraine headaches, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, lack of fertility, check your progesterone levels.
• Now I've just told you to “check” all these different systems of your body. How do you go about doing that?

The endocrine system--the thyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands, parathyroid gland, ovaries, testes, the pituitary gland and pineal gland--is a beautiful feedback system similar to an orchestra.

When stresses occur, the adrenal glands are the squeaky wheel that gets the most attention. Your adrenal glands are a survival gland. This means that you can't live without them and that they have the priority in the body to steal hormones from the other glands. Over time, this “theft” can lead to hypothyroidism, decreased progesterone, DHEA, and pregnenolone, and sometimes even decreased testosterone.

The adrenals are a fight or flight mechanism, meaning they respond to stressful situations. Keep in mind that your body views a stressful situation as “anything that isn't neutral.” So anything that creates heart palpitations--good or bad--such as anxiety or excitement, causes the adrenals to work harder. From their point of view, a perceived stressor is the same as a real stressor, meaning that the thoughts and feelings that run through your head constantly have a huge impact on your adrenal glands, and therefore, on your endocrine system. Adrenals glands are vital, and in this day and age, are often literally physically exhausted and running down. It's often when the adrenal glands start to become exhausted that people end up in our office, asking us, “What's wrong? I just don't feel good anymore. All my blood work says that I'm fine, and all my doctor offers me is an antidepressant.” It's important to keep in mind that balancing the endocrine system isn't clear-cut; it can take time and patience to uncover what's happening in each person's unique body.

Checking and re-balancing your endocrine system isn't easy. It requires you to be an active participant in your healthcare. Educating yourself is an important first step. It's not that you need to become an expert on medical procedures, diagnosis, herbs, homeopathics, or chiropractic care.  Just become educated on your options. It's also important to become an expert in listening to and honoring your intuition about your health and your body.

Handing over your power to a medical professional will not serve you. Instead, keep in mind that you are hiring doctors to help you with your health. If they're not serving you, fire them! Don't discount your intuition when dealing with the western medical model.  Research your symptoms, read books, and ask friends for references. Texas is filled with incredible alternative and conventional resources.  We can help anyone nationwide through Telehealth, and in person on Waxahachie, Texas.

Remember - If you don't agree with a diagnosis or solution, keep looking.  

* The information in this article cannot be substituted for medical advice about your unique body. Call for an appointment to discuss questions or concerns.