Your endocrine system is a group of about 10 glands that secrete hormones into the blood. These hormones travel to other organs and tissues to regulate your body’s functions. Your endocrine system influences your growth and development, mood, sexual function, reproduction, and metabolism. When something goes wrong with your endocrine system, it can affect your entire body.
The 10 glands that are a part of your Endocrine system are
Hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is located at the base of the brain. The hypothalamus controls water balance, sleep, temperature, appetite, and blood pressure.
Pineal gland. The pineal gland is located in the middle of the brain. It produces the hormone melatonin, which helps to regulate the sleep cycle.
Pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is located below the brain. It is typically about the size of a pea and control many of the processes in the entire endocrine system.
Thyroid and parathyroid. The thyroid gland and parathyroid glands are located in front of the throat area. The thyroid regulates the body's metabolism. The parathyroid glands regulate the calcium absorption/level of the body
Thymus. The thymus is located in the chest and is in charge of producing white blood cells that fight infections.
Adrenal Glands. The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. The adrenal glands work with both the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The adrenal glands make and release stress hormones and are responsible for maintaining blood pressure and regulating metabolism.
Pancreas. The pancreas is located in the back of the abdomen. The pancreas has the main task of aiding in digestion and producing hormones for digestion such as insulin and glucagon, which regulate levels of blood sugar.
Ovary. A woman's ovaries are located on both sides of the uterus. And are responsible for producing estrogen and progesterone.
Testis. A man's testes are responsible for producing testosterone and sperm.
As you can imagine with 10 main glands being affected by each other even a slight imbalance in even one area could create a cascade of health concerns. However, stress is known to disrupt the entire endocrine system creating the potential for many disorders. The most common disorders caused by the endocrine system are...
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Diabetes
Osteoporosis
Low Testosterone
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom
Adrenal Insufficiency
Cushing's Disease
Hypopituitarism
Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)
Precocious Puberty (Early Puberty)
Pain, disease, imbalance, allergies and all reactions of the body is the way the body communicates with us. If you find that you suffer from one or more of these disorders or you've suddenly found yourself gaining weight without cause, feeling more anxious and/or are undergoing a high amount of stress your endocrine system may be trying to tell you it's time time take a break.
Here are the top 5 tips for supporting your endocrine system.
Get plenty of exercise, but don't over do it.
Eat a nutritious diet high in fruits and vegetables
Meditate, pray or participate in stress reduction practices every day.
Drink plenty of clean, clear water.
Get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night and ensure you are sleeping between 11pm and 3am (peak endocrine recovery hours).
Lisa Ramos, 2021
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