Hormones: What to Know About Insulin
Having an understanding of the different ways that your body works is absolutely essential to being your best, happiest, and healthiest self, and understanding your hormones is a big part of that! Hormones are the body’s message system, allowing different organs and systems to communicate with each other and keeping everything in your body, from your sleep to your digestion to your reproductive system, working as it should. Today, let’s take a look at a hormone you’re probably familiar with: insulin!
What is Insulin?
Most people know what insulin is, but many people don’t actually realize that it’s a hormone! Just like other hormones that your body produces such as melatonin, estrogen, and testosterone, insulin is a naturally occurring chemical that plays an important role in one or many of your bodily functions– in this case, your digestion.
What Does Insulin Do?
Insulin’s main role is to help the body process glucose, or sugar. Pretty much all foods have some amount of sugar or glucose in them, since all carbohydrates are made of sugars in different forms. In your digestive system, carbohydrates are broken down into smaller molecules of basic glucose, which is then absorbed into your bloodstream. Insulin is how your body takes that sugar and uses it, turning it into energy that can be burned to help you do anything from running a marathon to doing some paperwork. Everything your body does needs energy, even just keeping your heart beating, and insulin turns the food you eat into the fuel that powers the entire mechanism of your body!
Where is Insulin Made?
Hormones are made in all different places over the body; some in the reproductive organs, some in the brain, and so on. Insulin is a digestive hormone, and it’s produced in the pancreas! Producing insulin and releasing it into your bloodstream is one of two main functions that the pancreas has. The other is producing an enzyme to help food break down and digest in your system.
How Does Insulin Affect Me?
In healthy people with properly functioning pancreases and no insulin-related problems, insulin is a hormone that does its job quietly and reliably. It turns glucose into energy and helps that energy get to the places in your body it needs to go. However, there are some common problems people can have with insulin, making up the different types of diabetes. Here are a few of them, and how they work.
What Causes Insulin Problems?
If you have problems with your insulin levels or blood sugar, you have some form of diabetes. There are many different types of diabetes that can affect people in different ways and at different forms in their lives.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, or lifelong, condition that’s believed to be an autoimmune disorder. It’s typically discovered in childhood, with kids complaining of symptoms like excessive thirst, weakness or dizziness, blurred vision, frequent urination, irritability and mood changes, intense hunger, and unexplained weight loss. The pancreas of someone with Type 1 diabetes either makes very little insulin or no insulin at all, leading to an inability for that person’s body to regulate their blood sugar levels or use glucose properly.
The cause of Type 1 diabetes has yet to be identified, and the condition is incurable, but it is highly treatable with the help of prescribed insulin, regular blood sugar testing, and careful monitoring of glucose intake.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, unlike Type 1, develops over time rather than someone being born with it. It more commonly develops later in life, although younger people can get it. It has similar symptoms to Type 1 diabetes and similarly includes the pancreas not producing insulin properly, but in Type 2, the cells in the body also don’t respond to insulin the way they should.
There are certain risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, including genetics, weight, inactivity, age, and certain comorbid conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Type 2 diabetes can create a huge amount of health risks if not addressed, but the condition is luckily very treatable. There are many medications available to help people with this disease control their blood sugar levels, and lifestyle changes can also be extremely beneficial.
Gestational Diabetes
This is a type of diabetes that develops in a woman during pregnancy when she’s never been diabetic before. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it’s believed that the major changes that happen to all of the body’s hormones during a pregnancy are involved in the sudden inability to manage glucose correctly. Usually, gestational diabetes only lasts for the duration of the pregnancy, with blood sugar levels going back to normal shortly after the birth of the baby.
While the condition is temporary and manageable with medications and a healthy lifestyle, it can pose serious health risks to both the mother and the baby if left untreated. Gestational diabetes also can be more difficult to notice than other types, as its symptoms, like frequent urination, overlap with normal and healthy symptoms of pregnancy. This is why most mothers undergo a test to screen for gestational diabetes at some point during their pregnancy. Women who have gestational diabetes also have a higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life, and may need additional testing to monitor their blood sugar over time.
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a type of diabetes that someone is born with, a malfunction in their pancreas that has always been there. Latent autoimmune diabetes, or LADA, is similar in that it’s a malfunction in the way the pancreas produces insulin, but it develops and presents more slowly than Type 1, usually discovered in adulthood. It’s sometimes called Type 1.5 diabetes. People with LADA are sometimes diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes by mistake, because the body still makes some insulin but slowly loses its ability to do so. Many people with LADA don’t start out needing insulin injections but reach that point over time. Other medications and lifestyle changes can help LADA to be more manageable.
Like all hormones and functions of your body, insulin is interconnected with many other different hormones and systems, and helping one often helps the other. If you’re interested in learning more about hormones and how hormone therapy might be a helpful treatment for you, you can find more information here!
Most of us are familiar with melatonin today. We know that it has to do with sleepiness and our sleep cycle, and that we can buy it in vitamin form to help us nod off at night. You might even know a little bit about what affects your natural melatonin levels, like light exposure. But did you know that just like estrogen, testosterone, dopamine, and adrenaline, melatonin is a hormone?
Melatonin is just one of the many, many hormones that act as chemical messengers in our body, allowing the different systems to communicate with each other and interact to keep your normal bodily functions– like sleep, digestion, and the reproductive system– working properly. For everything we know about melatonin, it still remains a mystery in some ways, and scientists and researchers are trying to figure out just what makes it tick. Want to know more about melatonin and what it does in your body? Keep reading to find out!
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone, and it’s often referred to as the sleep hormone, because that’s just what it does! Melatonin is the main chemical at work in your body to keep your sleep cycle regular. When you start feeling drowsy at night, that’s your body’s natural melatonin at work!
Melatonin is also available as a supplement that you can take to help yourself fall asleep. While melatonin isn’t regulated by the FDA, it’s generally considered safe and non-habit forming, though it’s best used only for short periods of time, and at specific doses. The amount of melatonin in your favorite gummy is probably quite a bit higher than what you should be taking! Experts recommend starting with just 1 mg of melatonin and increasing your dosage slowly to get up to 10 mg only as needed. You should also be taking melatonin at least an hour before bed if you decide to use it, not right before you hit the sheets!
What Does Melatonin Do?
Melatonin is the main force behind your ability to sleep. Rising levels of melatonin in your body help you to feel relaxed, drowsy, and ready to nod off, while falling levels of melatonin in your body make it easier for you to wake up and feel alert and rested. Your circadian rhythm is the term for your body clock or internal clock– the rhythms of changing hormone levels and functions in your body that take place over a period of time. Melatonin is very closely tied to that cycle, and in a normal, healthy body, your melatonin levels will rise and fall at the same times every day, allowing you to have a regular and healthy sleep schedule!
Melatonin also plays a role in your immune function, blood pressure, and your levels of cortisol, or the stress hormone. Notice that these are all things that start to go out of whack when you aren’t sleeping properly!
Where is Melatonin Made?
Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland, a tiny organ in your brain that’s a part of the body’s endocrine system. The time of day, which your body knows based on activity levels and light exposure, plays a role in melatonin production. When you’re exposed to more light (like you would be earlier in the day), your pineal gland doesn’t produce melatonin, allowing you to stay awake and alert. When you’re slowing down your activity and are exposed to less bright light at night, melatonin production in the pineal gland ramps up, getting your body ready for sleep and making you feel tired!
How Does Melatonin Affect Me?
If you had absolutely perfect sleep hygiene (the term for having optimal light exposure, activity, levels, and sleeping habits) and a completely normal and healthy circadian rhythm, you would never have any trouble falling asleep. However, this isn’t the case for anyone! Almost everyone has a few habits that they’re unable to get away from that disrupt their melatonin production and thus their sleep, like using screens and other bright lights too late at night or not being able to keep a regular bedtime or waking time. These things can cause your melatonin levels to be a little off from where they should be, leading to sleepiness during the day or trouble falling asleep at night. In most cases, these problems are temporary and not serious, and a few nights of being better about your sleep habits or taking a sleep aid like supplement melatonin can get you back on track, even if your sleep still isn’t perfect.
However, some people struggle a lot more with their sleep, to the point of having sleep disorders! Problems like sleep apnea aren’t closely related to melatonin production, but circadian rhythm disorders are. Let’s take a closer look at these issues!
What Causes Melatonin Problems?
If you have serious problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or staying awake during the day, it’s a safe bet that your melatonin levels are involved somewhere in the mix. Sleep disorders can arise for a lot of different reasons and make it hard for people to have average sleep habits. Some of these disorders include:
Insomnia
One of the most common sleep disorders out there, insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night that’s more frequent and pervasive than the odd sleepless night. If you find yourself lying in bed unable to fall asleep for hours or waking up multiple times throughout the night, especially if you have a hard time falling back asleep afterwards, you’re probably suffering from insomnia!
Blindness-Related Circadian Rhythm Disorders
People who are completely blind and have no light perception in their eyes often struggle to feel sleepy or alert at socially acceptable times. This can become a serious problem that affects their relationships and ability to hold a job, as well as their physical health like their weight and their mood. While it can be debilitating to have these disorders, there are treatments that can help.
Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder
This is a sleep disorder where a person’s circadian rhythm doesn’t fit a 24-hour pattern, but is instead longer or shorter than a day, causing them to constantly be feeling sleepy at times when they shouldn’t be or be alert when they should be asleep. Their sleep times are constantly moving earlier or later, occasionally lining up with socially acceptable hours before misaligning again. It’s considered to be a chronic problem, although some treatments are available that can lessen its effects.
Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder
People with delayed sleep phase disorder, or DSPD, have a circadian rhythm that is a normal 24 hours in length but that doesn’t match up with most people’s sleeping times. Someone with this condition naturally stays up much later and stays asleep much later than the average person, often being awake until well past midnight and sleeping into the afternoon. It’s common for teenagers to show signs of this problem, although most grow out of it in their adulthood. Some people, however, have DSPD as a chronic condition throughout their lives, and don’t ever grow out of it, leading to problems in their career and social life. They’re not lazy, and they’re not sleeping more hours than the average person, their internal clocks just don’t line up with the hours that society tends to function at!
Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder
Advanced sleep phase disorder, or ASPD, is the counterpoint to DSPD. If you or someone you know naturally wakes up at the crack of dawn and can’t stay awake for long in the early evening, it’s probably this! Where DSPD is more than just being a “night owl,” ASPD is more than just being an “early bird.” People with this disorder often wish they could sleep later or stay awake later. They may suffer in their social life because they can’t stay awake at the later hours when people often like to spend time together after work, and severe cases may affect their jobs as well.
Shift Work Sleep Disorder
People who work outside normal hours, such as taking very early morning shifts or very late graveyard shifts, often struggle with something called shift work sleep disorder, or SWSD. Some people seek out these jobs because they have something like DSPD or ASPD where their natural cycle aligns with the requirements of the job, but for someone with an average circadian rhythm who works a job like this, they will constantly struggle with needing to be awake when they want to be asleep and needing to sleep when their body wants to be awake. This can lead to a lot of serious problems in a person’s mental and physical health.
Melatonin is involved in all of these sleep disorders, but taking melatonin supplements isn’t the magic pill to cure them, even though melatonin therapy as indicated by a doctor can sometimes help to provide relief. When a person’s circadian rhythm, and thus their melatonin levels, are out of sync with what is considered normal, it’s a deeper problem. Your circadian rhythm is something that’s programmed into your body– resetting it is not as simple as taking a sleep aid and going to bed on time for a week or two. Part of the reason that these problems are still so hard to treat is because sleep in general, including melatonin and the circadian rhythm, are very mysterious. While there is a lot we do know, like certain important processes that happen while we sleep, the deeper mechanics of just why sleep is so important to us as humans is still unknown. As scientists and researchers continue to work to learn about this process, more answers will become available, and hopefully we’ll gain a better understanding of melatonin and how to treat sleep problems, from simple occasional insomnia to more serious issues!
If you’re interested in learning more about the many hormones that work in the body, you can continue to read our blog here at Renewed Vitality!
Your body is a complex organism full of systems that interact and affect each other in intricate ways, sometimes in ways that don’t make a lot of sense to us modern humans on the surface. We tend to think of the mind and body as two separate entities, and because stress is primarily a mental state for people today, it seems like stress shouldn’t have much of an impact on the physical health of the body.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The body affects the mind and the mind affects the body in turn, and if you’re under high levels of stress, it’s likely that you’ll notice it affecting your wellbeing and how you feel on a daily basis. In fact, a lot of the physical signs of stress, like weight gain, sleep and energy problems, and even menstrual problems, share common ground with the signs of hormonal imbalance. That’s because your stress levels are affecting your hormones! It all comes down to a little chemical your body makes called cortisol. Let’s take a look at the ways it is affecting you!
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone– more specifically, it’s a steroid hormone– that the human body produces in the adrenal glands, which are located near the kidneys. Cortisol is naturally occurring and every human body needs it! In the right amounts, it helps to regulate your blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and keep your blood pressure at an optimal level, along with many other jobs.
The issues arise when stress is introduced to the situation. Cortisol plays a vital role in the body’s “fight-or-flight” response. This is actually the reason it’s often referred to as the stress hormone. When your system is triggered by a stressor, whether it’s an actual physical threat or an anxiety-inducing modern threat like a deadline you forgot about, your body is flooded with high levels of adrenaline to prepare you to respond to the stressor. If the stressor goes away, these levels drop off, but if it stays, the body starts producing high levels of cortisol as well, releasing blood sugar to give you energy and slowing down the digestive and immune systems to conserve effort. Once you are no longer being confronted by a stressful situation, these levels will go back down to normal and your body will start to function as it usually does, but if you’re dealing with chronic, ongoing stress, your cortisol levels stay elevated, leading to a whole host of health problems.
Effects of High Cortisol
High cortisol from long-term stress can really wreak havoc on your physical health. Some symptoms of high cortisol are frequent headaches, digestive problems, low sex drive, appetite changes leading to overeating or undereating, brain fog, and anxiety. If it goes on for long enough, high cortisol can also cause heart disease, depression, and can affect your menstrual cycle. Basically, cortisol levels that are too high for too long have a waterfall effect on all of the systems in your body, telling them to constantly be ready to fight or run from an incoming threat. Your body moves resources away from less essential systems like digestion and reproduction to focus on keeping you ready to act at any moment. When your body is in this state for a long time, it can be bad for your health in both the short term and the long term!
How to Regulate Your Stress and Hormones
Regulating your hormone levels when you’re dealing with chronic stress and high levels of cortisol is something that it’s wise to consult a doctor about. However, there are some healthy lifestyle changes that you can easily make on your own that can help you to start feeling better! Eating right, exercising enough (but not too much– you don’t want to overtax your body when it’s already stressed!) and making sleep a priority will help put you on the right track for recovery.
Additionally, taking measures to reduce your stress can help pull your body out of that constant fight-or-flight state. If you’re able to remove external sources of stress, like cutting down your hours at a difficult job, that’s a great place to start, but not everyone has that option. In both cases, it can also be beneficial to use techniques that talk to the base systems of your body and tell it that it’s not in danger. Meditation can be a great way to do this, and so can deep breathing exercises and mindfulness practices that focus on stopping stressful thinking patterns. Basically, anything that you wouldn’t be able to do if there was a tiger or a bear right in front of you is a good way to tell your body’s primal stress response system that it’s ok to calm down and relax. Any activities that increase endorphins, the feel-good hormones, are also great to counteract high cortisol, like dancing, spending time with friends and loved ones, cuddling a pet, or even just laughing!
These techniques are a great way to help address hormonal imbalances caused by stress and high cortisol, but what about other kinds of hormonal imbalances? For more information, you can learn about your hormonal health and how to improve it by reading our blog here!
There’s a reason that we associate menopause, PMS, and adolescence with moodiness. There’s a genuine link between your hormone levels and your mood or mental state. While your hormones are far from the only thing affecting your moods, their balance (or lack thereof) can lead to you feeling better, energized, and more positive, or sluggish, cranky, and more susceptible to negative moods. Unsurprisingly, this means that long-term hormonal issues can show up in what your mental health looks like. The coming winter months are a time when a lot of people struggle with their mental health, and if yours is already in a place that’s less than ideal, now is a good time to be looking at contributing factors that you could fix to help yourself start feeling better, and your hormones might be one of them! Here are some of the ways that your hormones affect your mental health.
Mood Swings
Mood swings, or sudden and unpredictable shifts in a person’s mood, are common symptoms of any body state that puts your hormones out of whack. Teenagers, PMSing women, and menopausal women are often written off as “hormonal” any time they’re a little less chipper than usual, but mood swings caused by your hormones can be a legitimate problem for some people. If you’re finding yourself surprised by your own mood changes and feeling as though you have little control over how you feel throughout the day, this might be the reason.
Low Mood and Low Energy
The sex hormones in particular (mainly estrogen and testosterone) play a very significant role in your energy levels. If your levels are off-balance, particularly if they’re lower than they should be, you might find yourself struggling with fatigue, sluggishness, brain fog, and other low-energy related problems. This low energy can lead to low mood as well. Depression and fatigue are very closely linked, and if you don’t have enough energy to be happy and engaged in your life, you’ll certainly struggle with feeling sad or numb for long periods of time.
Anxiety
Hormone imbalances can also have a negative effect on the way your body handles stress and worry, leading you to deal with pounding heartbeats and racing thoughts anytime you start to fret about something. Some people struggle with anxiety that is completely unrelated to their hormones, but others might notice it getting worse during times when their hormone levels are changing, such as prior to a period. Additionally, if you’re developing new anxiety alongside other symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, the two issues are likely to be related.
Sleep
The amount of sleep you get and the quality of your sleep are absolutely vital to every aspect of your health, including your mental health. Poor sleep and struggling with your mental health go hand in hand, affecting each other in a vicious cycle– being sad or anxious makes it harder to sleep well, which in turn makes you more sad and anxious. Imbalances in your hormones can also make it hard for you to get to sleep or stay asleep, leading to a whole host of unpleasant physical and mental health symptoms.
What to Do?
Eat Well
Taking a look at your diet is a good place to start when trying to make positive changes to your physical or mental health. Eating balanced meals full of nutritious, nourishing foods throughout the day gives your body the necessary tools to function properly!
Get Enough Exercise
The feel-good hormones that get released in your brain when you’re physically active can be incredibly helpful in combating mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Regular exercise also helps you to regulate the various rhythms and functions of your body, including your hormonal levels.
Consider Mental Health Treatment
If your moods, emotions, and thoughts are starting to affect your life, work, and relationships, it’s time to seek out professional help. Therapy and medication can help people make incredible changes and move towards happiness and positivity in their lives. They might help you, too!
Consider HRT
If you suspect that your hormone levels are playing a role in your mental health struggles, it’s a good idea to seek out a specialist like the ones on the team at Renewed Vitality for help! They can address these symptoms and others that you may be having and propose treatment plans that can help you to start feeling like yourself again. If you’re interested in learning more, make sure you contact us today!
Hormone imbalances can happen to both men and women, causing a wide variety of symptoms that can be unpleasant, difficult to deal with, and disruptive to your daily life. If you’re dealing with hormone levels that are too high or too low for one reason or another, you’re not alone! Plenty of people deal with these issues, and there are lots of things you can do to help correct the problem and start feeling better. Some of these tips are specific to male or female hormone levels, while others work for everyone. You can pick and choose the best options for you!
For Women
Avoid Dairy
Dairy products like cream and yogurt might not be beneficial when it comes to female reproductive hormones. Some studies show that there may be a link between consuming these products and lower levels of female fertility. While it hasn’t been proven that dairy products can be directly harmful to your health unless you’re lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, if you’re struggling with hormone imbalances, trying to limit the amount of dairy you take in might be helpful!
For Men
Reduce Alcohol Intake
Excessive use of alcohol has a long list of negative effects on your health, and hormones are no exception. There’s lots of evidence indicating that high levels of alcohol intake can damage your testosterone levels, resulting in erectile dysfunction, infertility, low muscle mass, and many other problems. Cutting down on how much you drink, or cutting alcohol out entirely if you’re able to, can make a world of difference in how good you feel overall and in your hormonal levels!
For Everyone
Eat a Healthy Diet
What you eat plays an enormous role in your hormone levels. Your food is the fuel and building blocks that you supply to your body to ensure that it can function properly, and in order to make hormones in the proper amounts and have them work the way they’re supposed to, your body needs healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of protein. Looking for ways to incorporate these things into each meal you eat with lean meats, vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, fish, nuts, and other good sources of nutrients will help your hormone levels tremendously, as will reducing your sugar intake!
Exercise Plenty
Exercise can be helpful in cases of hormone imbalances by helping you maintain a healthy weight along with a good diet, but its benefits go far beyond just keeping the number on the scale down! Exercise improves how your body processes insulin, helping you control your appetite in a healthier way, and reduces your risk of diseases like diabetes. Even low-impact exercise like walking, swimming, or yoga can have major health benefits when it comes to your hormones!
Prioritize Sleep
Nothing sends the body into a tailspin like a poor night’s sleep, especially when you regularly don’t sleep long enough or well enough. Sleep deprivation affects your stress hormones, your appetite hormones, your growth hormones, and many of the other vital chemical messengers in your body. Making sleep a priority in your day to day life can help to improve your hormone levels as well as increasing your energy!
Consider HRT
Sometimes, even when you’re making the right lifestyle choices and setting yourself up for success with your hormones, it still isn’t’ enough, and if you’re finding this is the case for you, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, like the kind offered at Renewed Vitality, might be right for you! To learn more, contact us today with your questions. We’ll be happy to help you!
Whether you’re dealing with the symptoms of menopause, a thyroid problem, low estrogen or testosterone, or any other type of hormone imbalance, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, can be one of the best and most effective ways to get you feeling better again! HRT helps to alleviate symptoms that can make day to day life difficult and unpleasant, and get you feeling better again without complicated or confusing medication.
There are a lot of different delivery methods for the hormones in HRT, and each one has its own upsides and drawbacks. If you’re considering starting hormone replacement therapy, knowing the options that are available to you in terms of how the hormones get into your system is a good place to start! Here are some of the main options to be aware of.
Pills
Hormone pills are a very common form of HRT, in large part because they’re familiar to most patients. Not everyone has dealt with a topical patch or cream before, but almost everyone has had to take a daily pill for some reason or another. Although some hormone pills have more complex dosing schedules, most are taken once a day.
Pills are easy and effective as a delivery method for therapeutic hormones, but they do carry some potential side effects, like headaches and nausea. Additionally, if you suffer from liver problems or are at risk of strokes or blood clots, pills may not be the best plan for you, as they can exacerbate these problems.
Patches
Hormone therapy patches stick to your skin with an adhesive and allow the hormones to be absorbed through your skin, where they eventually circulate through the rest of your system. They’re changed periodically, typically once a week, and if you’re the kind of person who frequently forgets to take medication on a daily basis, the patch might be a great option for you! They also work well for people who can’t take pills, for instance, if you have a liver problem.
However, some people aren’t good candidates for hormone patches. Anyone who spends a lot of time out in the sun should avoid this form of treatment, since the heat and light makes them release their doses too quickly, so athletes, outdoor workers, frequent tanners, and those who live in very hot climates should consider other options.
Creams, Sprays, and Gels
Patch treatments aren’t the only way to absorb hormones through your skin. You can also use creams, gels, or sprays, which are all applied to the skin to deliver the hormones. Where on the body you apply them depends on the specific topical treatment you’re using– some need to go on the leg, while some go on the arm, and so on.
Like patches, topical treatments like sprays or creams are a good option for anyone who can’t take oral pills, but you have to be careful using this form of treatment as there is a chance they might rub or wash off before being properly absorbed. Topical treatments should always be applied after a bath or shower, and allowed to fully dry before dressing.
Pellets
At Renewed Vitality, pellet therapy is our preferred method of hormone delivery. While we offer other options so that each of our patients can find the treatment plan that works the best for them, we find this is one of the most effective ways to get the hormones you need circulating in your system!
With pellet therapy, we use a simple and painless outpatient procedure to insert a hormone pellet under your skin, usually in the thigh, hip, or buttock. The pellet releases its hormones slowly without you needing to remember to take a pill, change a patch, or apply a cream, and only needs to be changed about every three to six months. Pellet therapy is safe and natural, and helps to avoid the side effects of other forms of hormone treatment.
At Renewed Vitality, the members of our team are dedicated to helping you find the hormone replacement therapy plan that works for you so that we can get you feeling better as fast as possible! If you’re interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule an appointment today!
Are you or a loved one feeling especially tired, moody, and hot? Or perhaps struggling with weight gain and insomnia? Especially for women in your forties or fifties, you may be experiencing perimenopause/menopause, a natural transition that marks the end of your reproductive years.
While menopause is a natural part of aging, it can also be a challenging time for many women. To help navigate this transition, below are five mistakes that are all too easy to make during perimenopause/menopause and how to avoid them.
Ignoring Your Symptoms
For many women, a common first mistake is simply ignoring their new symptoms or dismissing them as part of aging. While it is true that menopause is a natural process, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence. Symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia can have a significant impact on your quality of life. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about your options. There are also many safe and effective treatments available, including our own hormone replacement therapy (HRT) options, at-home lifestyle changes, and more.
Not Getting Enough Exercise
It’s so easy to ignore exercise, but it’s essential to maintaining a healthy body and a high quality of life. Regular exercise helps maintain good health at any age, but it is especially important during perimenopause/menopause. Exercise can help you manage your weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and boost your mood. It can also help you sleep better, which is crucial during this time when insomnia is a common complaint. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
Eating a Poor Diet
It’s easy to forget that what you eat can have a significant impact on your health and well-being, even affecting your symptoms during perimenopause/menopause. A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and other health problems. On the other hand, a diet rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats can help you manage your symptoms, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and feel your best.
Abandoning Sexual Activity
Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms can make previously enjoyable things very challenging for women, particularly when it comes to sexual desire and enjoyment. Hormonal changes during the early stages of perimenopause can have a significant impact on how comfortable and enthusiastic you feel about sex. With so many physical and emotional changes to navigate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and start to withdraw from your partner as a way of coping with the transition. However, your partner may misinterpret your lack of sexual initiation or enjoyment as a lack of attraction or interest in them, which can create distance and impact their sexual confidence.
To overcome this, the first step is to have an honest conversation about the emotional and physical changes you are experiencing. Explain that it may take longer to become aroused, that dryness can cause pain and discomfort, and that you may not understand your body as well as you used to. Most partners will be sympathetic and understanding, and working together, you can start to rekindle your desire and experiment with different types of natural lubrication to make sex enjoyable, comfortable, and intimate once again.
Neglecting Your Mental Health
Perimenopause/menopause can be a stressful time for many women. You may be dealing with changes in your body, your relationships, and your sense of identity. It is essential to take care of your mental health during this time. Talk to a trusted and licensed mental health professional if you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other emotional issues. Practice stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. Connect with supportive friends and family members and join a menopause support group if you need additional support.
Perimenopause/menopause is a natural transition that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. While it can be a challenging time for many, it is also an opportunity to focus on your health and well-being. By avoiding these five common mistakes, you can manage your symptoms, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and feel your best.
Contact Renewed Vitality to learn more about how our hormone therapy treatment options can alleviate perimenopause/menopause symptoms. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you feel like yourself again!
If you’re a man over the age of 40, you may have started to notice some changes in your body and mood that you can’t quite explain. Perhaps you’re feeling more fatigued than usual, or you’re having difficulty sleeping. Maybe your libido has decreased, or you’ve noticed a decline in your muscle mass. These symptoms, among others, can be indicative of a hormonal imbalance, which can be corrected through hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But if you’re new to HRT, you may have some questions. That’s where Renewed Vitality, Berks County’s premier HRT facility, comes in. We’ve compiled a list of FAQs to help you better understand how this life-changing treatment option can make you feel healthy and like yourself again.
What is HRT & How Does it Work?
At Renewed Vitality, HRT is a medical treatment that involves supplementing your body’s natural hormones with our bioidentical hormones. These hormones are engineered to be biologically identical to those your body produces. For men, the primary hormones that are targeted in HRT are testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). You can also supplement your body’s natural hormones with synthetic hormones to restore hormonal balance and alleviate any symptoms of a hormonal imbalance.
Who is a Good Candidate for HRT?
Men who are experiencing symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, such as fatigue, decreased libido, difficulty sleeping, and muscle loss, may be good candidates for HRT. Additionally, men who have been diagnosed with low testosterone or growth hormone deficiency may also be good candidates for HRT. However, before undergoing HRT, it’s important to consult with your doctor to ensure that it’s an appropriate treatment option for you.
What are the Benefits of HRT?
HRT can provide quite a few benefits, including increased energy and stamina, improved sleep quality, increased libido and sexual function, increased muscle mass and strength, and decreased body fat. Additionally, HRT has been shown to have cognitive benefits, such as improved memory and concentration. HRT can also help to prevent age-related diseases, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
What are the Risks Associated With HRT for Men?
Like any medical treatment, there are risks associated with HRT. However, when administered by a qualified medical professional at Renewed Vitality, the risks of HRT are minimal. The most common risks associated with HRT include acne and breast enlargement. However, these risks can be mitigated by monitoring hormone levels and adjusting dosages as needed.
How Long Does it Take to See the Effects of HRT?
The length of time it takes to see the effects of HRT will vary depending on the individual and the type of HRT being administered. Research shows that some men may start to feel the effects of HRT within a few weeks, while others may not notice any changes for several months. It’s important to be patient and to work closely with your medical provider to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your HRT treatment.
Hormone replacement therapy can be a restorative and healthy treatment option for men experiencing symptoms of a hormonal imbalance. With treatment at Renewed Vitality, men can restore hormonal balance in their lives and enjoy increased energy, improved sleep quality, increased libido, and more. If you’re interested in learning more about HRT or exploring whether it’s the right treatment option for you, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team is committed to helping everyone improve their quality of life through personalized, effective, and safe HRT treatments.
