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How Weather is Affecting Your Hormones

How Weather is Affecting Your Hormones

Want to know why the weather might be affecting your hormones? Hormone KC has the answers for you. 

Hormones are in your body to help regulate your body’s processes, breathe and expand your energy levels.

Here at Hormone KC, we want to help you understand your hormones and how weather affects them — plus some tips on how to improve your hormones during these dreadful, weather-changing months.

Hormones 101

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs and work slowly over time. There are many different types of hormones that act on different aspects of your body. Including:

  • Development and growth
  • Metabolism of food items
  • Sexual function and reproductive growth and health
  • Cognitive function and mood
  • Maintenance of body temperature and thirst

Hormones play a huge role in a woman and man’s body. Hormones control heart rate, sleep cycles, sexual function and reproduction. Hormones regulate your body’s processes like hunger, blood pressure and sexual desire. Hormones are essential when it comes to reproduction because they are fundamental to all the systems of your body. 

Hormones are all affected by:

  • Metabolism 
  • Appetite
  • Growth and development
  • Mood
  • Stress
  • Body temperatures

Hormones in Women and Men

For women, hormones play a vital role in their bodies and health. Estrogen is a group of hormones essential to normal sexual reproductive development in women. According to Balanced Well-Being Healthcare, estrogen affects the brain, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, urinary tract, hair and skin.  Progesterone is a hormone released by the ovaries. Balanced Well-Being Healthcare also states that progesterone prepares the lining of the uterus for a fertilized egg, supports pregnancy and suppresses estrogen production after ovulation. 

Estrogen and progesterone are the most well-known hormones in the woman’s body because of the influence they have on a woman’s reproductive health like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. A woman’s body also makes up other hormones that affect their body in different ways like energy level, weight, mood and much more.

When it comes to men’s hormones, the main and most important one in their bodies is testosterone. Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. Testosterone is produced primarily in the testes, with minimal amounts coming from the adrenal gland, according to Balanced Well-Being Healthcare. 

Testosterone helps men with:

  • Puberty
  • Facial and body hair
  • Sex drive
  • Sperm production
  • Maintenance of muscle strength and mass

Signs of Hormonal Change

According to Healthline, for women, there is more pressure when it comes to hormonal imbalance because of their reproductive systems. Just Remember – women’s hormonal changes occur during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. 

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women:

  • Heavy or irregular periods
  • Hirsutism – excessive hair on face, chin or other body parts
  • Acne on the face, chin or body
  • Hair loss
  • Pain during sex

For men, testosterone is very important for their bodies. If men are not producing enough testosterone, there could be serious health issues.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men: 

  • Breast tenderness
  • Erectile dysfunction (ED)
  • Decrease in beard growth and body hair growth
  • Loss of muscle mass
  • Hot flashes 

Hormonal imbalance can be caused by many different reasons. According to The Well For Health, you might be experiencing hormonal imbalance due to aging – it is very normal to see sex hormones change in women during the beginning stages of menopause and when men get older. Also, excessive stress or exercise can lead to hormonal imbalance too. If you are feeling these changes, talk to your doctor right away to discuss more about your hormones. 

Hormonal Imbalance and Weather

You may know of seasonal depression – a type of depression that relates to the change of climates where there is less sunlight at certain times of the year. Your body may be experiencing hormonal imbalances based on the same reasoning. Hormones are heavily affected by our energy and mood. Think about when you have the most energy. Summer, right? Going on nightly walks, swimming in a pool or lake. 

What about winter and the first part of spring? Kansas City locals tend to stay inside from the months of December to March due to below-freezing temperatures and early sunsets. Your mood and energy are completely different during the cold, which can surprisingly affect your hormones. 

❗❗ It is true that weather does have a major effect on hormonal imbalance❗❗

It may be different for men and women, but studies have proven that weather does affect your hormones regardless of gender. Once men reach the age of 40, they not only produce less testosterone, but they also deal with issues related to low energy too.  

LT Men’s Clinics states, “According to a study done by Baylor College of Medicine, during the cold winter months, many men start to produce more estrogen and less testosterone. Also known as libidos.” During the winter, when there is less daylight and lower overall temperatures, the body can start to go into aromatization. Aromatization is the “process that converts male hormones into female hormones and can cause this imbalance in testosterone to estrogen levels.”

There has been scientific knowledge noted that women’s hormones change according to the seasons too. According to Health Hub360, sunshine increases levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which causes an egg to develop. This means that women may not ovulate as frequently during winter, so menstrual cycles may take longer and PMS may be worse. “Receptors have also found women’s receptors for estrogen are more sensitive in the summer. Low estrogen can cause problems with ovulation and therefore reduced fertility,” Health Hub360 reports.

During winter, everyone’s vitamin D levels are usually lower compared to any other season. For men and women, vitamin D has a profound effect on the balance of other hormones in their bodies. Usually, spending 15 minutes a day in the sunshine would be the perfect amount of vitamin D for your body. Less sunshine also means lower levels of dopamine and can lead to decreased enthusiasm and drive during the winter. 

Improving Hormonal Imbalance

According to Health Hub360, here are some important and easy ways to improve your hormones during every seasonal shift in weather:

  • Aim for a consistent night of rest for at least 7-8 hours a night. The cold months tend to be longer and more stressful, so have a stable nighttime routine.
  • Eating warm foods will help your hormones. Foods like soup and stews are full of nutrition that your body needs to have to increase all hormones.
  • Spend at least 20-30 minutes outside. Vitamin D will help your body and bones + your hormones will be balanced.
  • Watch your stress levels. Stress can disrupt your hormone levels by depleting progesterone. 
  • Exercise as much as you can! At least 30 minutes of exercise will balance your hormones.

If you want to improve your hormonal imbalance naturally, try these six essential tips from Dr. Axe:

  • Swap Carbs for Healthy Fats
  • Use coconut oil for the natural anti-bacterial and fat-burning effect.
  • Avocados improve your heart health, lower inflammation, and contain high amounts of fiber and potassium.
  • Salmon is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids which is great for cell-to-cell communication in the brain.
  • Supplement to Fill Nutritional Voids
  • Evening Primrose Oil – Contains omega-6 fatty acids that support hormonal function.
  • Bone Broth – Soothes the digestive system and supplies the body with nutrients.
  • Probiotics – Can improve production and regulation of key hormones like insulin, ghrelin, and leptin.
  • Adaptogen Herbs – Types of healing plants that can promote hormone balance and protect your body from diseases.
  • Addressing Emotional Imbalances
  • Reducing stress levels
  • Engaging in personal reflection
  • Taking time for yourself
  • Beware of Medications and Birth Control
  • Medications that include corticosteroids, stimulants, statins, dopamine agonists, rexinois and glucocorticoids can affect your hormone balance. 
  • Birth control raises estrogen levels to dangerous levels that can cause hormonal complications.
  • Get More Sleep
  • A lack of sleep can disturb your natural circadian rhythm.

Services Hormone KC Offers

At Hormone KC, we offer several services for men and women to get their hormones back on track. The first treatment we offer is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, or BHRT. For men, BHRT helps men regain and then maintain their natural, optimal testosterone level. The testosterone we give you is the same chemical structure as the hormones that are already in your body. BHRT restores men’s testosterone leVel to their natural youthful levels. This will increase your energy, strength, and sexual function when taking BHRT.

For women, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is a procedure that uses manufactured hormones that are very similar to the body’s natural hormones. Women use this treatment to ease perimenopause and menopause symptoms. BHRT can reverse your menopause symptoms in no time! BHRT can be administered in different ways including pills, patches, creams, injections, etc.

Hormone KC also offers a medical weight loss program. The weight loss programs are customized to fit an individual’s needs and health condition. Men and women can use these primary treatments to achieve the best results:

  • Lipotropic Injections
  • Prescription Appetite Suppressants
  • Weight Loss Coaching
  • Nutritional Supplements

The next treatment Hormone KC offers is IV Vitamin Therapy, which helps restore energy and provides relief for those with chronic pain and illness like fibromyalgia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. IV Vitamin Therapy is beneficial because it’s introduced into the bloodstream. The IV Vitamin Therapy is full of great nutrients that your body needs every day like calcium, magnesium, vitamin B-5, vitamin C, zinc, etc. if you are looking to increase your energy, enhance your daily performance, and boost your immune system, IV Vitamin Therapy is for you!

Conclusion

Hormones are very important when it comes to women and men’s bodies. It’s crucial to know what hormones do for our bodies and how we can control them. 

With the winter months quickly approaching, Hormone KC is here to help you with your imbalanced hormones. We highly encourage you to use the two lists from above to help you improve your hormones before the seasons start to change.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of imbalanced hormones listed above, check out our website, https://www.hormonekc.com/, to educate yourself about hormones and the services we offer. Book an appointment with Dr. Richardson today to find the best solution for you to improve your hormones.

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