Gut Health and Hormones
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
It’s all in your gut!! What the FUNK is in your gut? We’re about to talk about your gut health and hormones.
All of your body’s systems work closely together so if one system is a little but off, the rest can go haywire, trigger a domino effect, potentially igniting a cascade of chronic health complications.
A LOT of what goes on in your gut can contribute to many “hormonal” things. Ever heard of leaky gut? It can attribute to MANY different health issues.
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Autism
- Autoimmune disease
- Eczema and psoriasis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
- Type 1 diabetes
Do I have your attention now? This is just a few things that can be caused by the FUNK in you gut. You are only as healthy as the food that you can digest, which may not be that healthy if you have a tad bit of a leaky gut. Leaky gut is slightly unrecognized as a medical condition. I mean, why would they look into it since there are a million drugs out there to “help” with any and all gut issues. “Leaky gut syndrome” is said to have symptoms including bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities, and aches and pains. But it’s something of a medical mystery. OR IS IT?
Long story short, what goes on in your gut has a very big impact on your hormones and what goes on in your body. The purpose of your gut is to absorb nutrients from the food you eat, but it is also prominent of your immune system. When everything is PROPERLY broken down, most of the useful parts are absorbed through the lining of the small intestine and eventually end up in the blood stream. With leaky gut, some of this undigested food somehow finds its way into the body, which is where the hormonal, immunity issues begin.
Leaky gut occurs when the intestinal lining is permeable or damaged leaving the small intestine unable to do it’s job of nutrient absorption. As a result, some bacteria and their toxins, undigested food and waste may “leak” out of the intestines and into the blood stream, causing a few of the above mentioned health issues.
Your gut is the physical barrier between the insides and outsides of what goes on in your body.
So what does your gut function have to do with hormones? Well, we talked a little bit about what your hormones can do to your body in my last blog. BUT, it’s what you put in your body, that travels through your gut that can cause the hormone imbalances.
What does gut function have to do with hormones?
- Nutrient absorption – hormones need nutrients to work properly. Those nutrients are ingested in our food, but if we can’t absorb them effectively, hormones don’t get what they need.
- Hormone metabolism – some hormones get metabolized in the gut, including thyroid hormones which get converted into their active form there.
- Hunger hormones – hormones are secreted in the gut to control appetite, sending signals to the brain that you’re hungry or full (pretty important!).
- Stress – cortisol suppresses digestive function, and digestive issues raise cortisol – a vicious cycle.
- Leaky Gut – if the intestinal barrier is not intact, toxins and undigested foods can enter the bloodstream and attack our endocrine glands (this is one of the causes of auto-immune Hashimoto’s thyroid disease).
- Gut bacteria imbalances – can cause all sorts of hormonal issues as well as cravings for sugar and carbs (causing insulin and fat storage).
So what if you could help solve this issue NATURALLY? What if you could find a few NATURAL supplements or something like that, along with eliminating a few gut unfriendly foods and find a nice little balance between your gut and hormones? What if you could find a nice balance for your hormones and gut and feel better? How can you balance all of this?
I’ll be talking about this in my next episode, Balanced gut, balanced hormones, balanced life. Don’t miss it.
Latest posts by Melanie Sobocinski (see all)
- Why Your Metabolism and Hormones May be a Little Slow - November 5, 2020
- My Before and After Story - September 11, 2020
- 7 Changes That Happen When You Don’t Eat Enough - July 16, 2020
