Honouring Women on Mother’s Day

This month in honour of Mothers’ Day, I am going to address some women’s health issues for the next few posts.  This will be addressing some physical aspects of healing, but ones that have a profound effect on our mental, emotional and spiritual fields as well. When we are in the flow of good energy physically, then it is easier to be in harmony on all levels.

Healthy Soul-utions is all about being healthy in all areas. This is called the holistic model – looking at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing.

Our bodies consist of trillions of cells that need vitamins, minerals, essential fats, carbohydrates and proteins (amino acids) to stay healthy.  Optimum levels of health require optimum nutrition and equally optimum cell performance.  Deficiencies produce problems like PMS symptoms, osteoporosis, menopausal and menstrual problems, and even birth defects, just to name a few.

Let’s start with the hormones of the endocrine system as they are an essential part of all our womanly functions. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands and pancreas. Also men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries. In addition to the specialized endocrine organs mentioned above, many other organs such as the kidney, liver, and heart have secondary endocrine functions.

The endocrine system is one of the body’s main systems for communicating, controlling and coordinating the body’s work. It works with the nervous system, reproductive system, kidneys, gut, liver, pancreas and fat to help maintain and control the following:

• Growth and development such as preparation of the body for a new phase of life, such as puberty, parenting, and menopause
• Metabolism – digestion (including hunger cravings), elimination, breathing, blood circulation and maintaining body temperature (homeostasis)
• Sexual function and reproduction
• Mood swings and body energy levels
• Activation or inhibition of the immune system

Endocrine glands and endocrine-related organs are like factories. When the body needs these substances, the bloodstream carries the proper types of hormones to specific targets. These targets may be organs, tissues, or cells.

Most hormones initiate a cellular response by initially combining with either a specific intracellular or cell membrane associated receptor protein. Complicated I know, but I mention this so you see the importance of protein here.

Protein means “of first importance”.  All the cells in the body need amino acids from protein. Hormones included. Amino acids are the building blocks for all life. Protein is one of the biggest components of our bodies. Our bodies use amino acids to form the proteins which build everything from muscles and bones, skin and hair, to internal organs and fluids. Besides building cells and repairing tissue, they form antibodies to combat invading bacteria & viruses; they are part of the enzyme & hormonal system; they build RNA & DNA; they carry oxygen throughout the body and participate in muscle activity.

Hormones need lots of nutrients besides protein including vitamin B, vitamin E, GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), and zinc. These nutrients are all depleted by stress, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, junk foods, and medications (including birth control).

For example if you are deficient in Vitamin B, that affects the brain and nervous system (you can’t think, feel up tight, etc.) and the lack also affects the hormones thus creating PMS symptoms, menopausal and menstrual problems, and even birth defects. The lack of B can also affect the immune system, the health of your skin, and cause junk food cravings.

GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) is essential for hormones as that essential fat is a necessary raw ingredient for prostaglandins to be produced within the body. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that play a part in many of the biochemical and metabolic processes of the body. A good fatty acid metabolism benefits some very important aspects of our health such as maintaining a good blood pressure, low cholesterol levels, preventing inflammatory and immune system conditions such as arthritis, allergies and some skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, and also improving the strength of the keratin-dependent tissues such as our nails and hair.

A deficiency in essential fatty acids also seems to stimulate the overproduction of a hormone in women called prolactin that can lead to the severe mood changes commonly referred to as pre-menstrual syndrome, or PMS. GLA appears to have a beneficial effect in the treatment of PMS, and some other conditions such as breast discomfort and preventing osteoporosis.

Vitamin E acts like an estrogen antagonist and has progesterone-like properties. Vitamin E regulates prostaglandin production and can alleviate menstrual cramps.  Vitamin E is reported to alleviate many of the symptoms of menopause, from vaginal dryness and hot flashes, to breast tenderness and nervousness. Vitamin E is a hormone normalizer. It appears to have a stabilizing effect on estrogen levels, increasing the hormone output in women who are deficient and lowering it in those who are prone to excess.  Vitamin E protects cells, including the cells of the immune system and boosts immune activity. Vitamin E lowers blood glucose, is an energy promoter, and acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Zinc, an essential trace mineral, is required for the metabolic activity of 300 of the body’s enzymes, and is considered essential for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein. These enzymes are involved with the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Zinc is also critical to tissue growth, wound healing, taste acuity, connective tissue growth and maintenance, immune system function, prostaglandin production, bone mineralization, proper thyroid function, blood clotting, cognitive functions, fetal growth and sperm production. Adequate zinc can help pre-menstrual syndrome, pregnancy and lactation and post-menopausal health.

Hope all you mothers out there have a wonderful, healthy Mother’s Day.

Do you have a story to share? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv.  That’s great for all bloggers out there. If you leave a comment, you can provide a link back to your own blog.  But you don’t have to be a blogger to leave a comment; I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

Next week I will cover some more feminine issues.

Stay tuned.

Charlene