Keeping your endocrine system healthy helps balance your hormones – from sleep and mood to metabolism and tissue function. But what is the endocrine system, and how does it work? Learn more about the complex system that impacts every aspect of life and how to maintain a healthy endocrine system to balance your hormones with these tips.

What is the Endocrine System?

The endocrine system is a collection of glands and organs that produce and maintain hormones for proper body function at all stages of life. These glands and organs send hormones into the bloodstream and send signals to body tissue to instruct how to perform. According to the Merck Manual, the endocrine system affects almost every organ and cell in the body, so a healthy endocrine system is imperative.

Hormones play a large role in how the body operates physically and chemically, and affect functions such as:

Anatomy of the Endocrine System

In the Brain

• Hypothalamus: To connect the endocrine system with the nervous system and guide the pituitary gland on when to start and stop producing hormones.
• Pituitary Gland: To send signals and transmit information to other parts of the endocrine system through various hormones. This gland produces adrenocorticotropic hormone to stimulate steroid hormones like cortisol, growth hormone to regulate growth and metabolism, gonadotrophins for sex hormone production, thyroid stimulating hormone, and more. This is considered the “master gland” of the endocrine system.
• Pineal Gland: To aid in sleep through the production of melatonin.

In the Neck

• Thyroid Gland: To control metabolism through the production of thyroid hormone.
• Parathyroid: To regulate bone health through the management of calcium and phosphorus.

Between the Lungs

• Thymus Gland: To fight infection and aid in the development of children’s immune systems with T-lymphocytes.

On Top of the Kidneys

• Adrenal Glands: To trigger “fight or flight” with adrenaline production and maintain metabolism and sexual function with corticosteroids.

Behind the Stomach

• Pancreas: To ensure blood sugar levels are maintained by managing insulin and glucagon levels.

In the Pelvic Region

• Ovaries: To develop breasts, regulate menstrual cycle, and support pregnancy through estrogen and progesterone production.
• Testes: To grow facial and body hair at puberty and producing sperm through the production of testosterone.

How to Maintain a Healthy Endocrine System

While hormone imbalances are sometimes unavoidable, knowing how the system works and how to maintain a healthy endocrine system can help lessen the chance of health issues.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Maintaining hormonal balance requires a healthy diet filled with the proper nutrients to facilitate hormone production. Eating a balance of carbs, proteins, and healthy fats is key. High-fiber and probiotic food can also improve your diet for balancing hormones. Avoiding inflammatory foods such as added sugar, trans fats, refined grains, and alcohol will keep your diet on the right track for endocrine system health.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet and exercise is extremely important for endocrine health. Not only does maintaining a healthy weight through these methods help improve your overall health, but being active can stimulate hormone production and aid in alleviating hormonal imbalance. Exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, boost testosterone, and relieve stress to reduce harmful cortisol hormones.

Make Note of Hormones and Medications

From birth control to insulin, keeping track of which hormones and medications you are adding to your regimen is important for both you and your doctor. Always consult with a doctor before changing, adding, or removing any medications your health care. As hormonal imbalance issues can arise at any time, being aware of always wise in case you have a sudden change in health.

Use an Infrared Sauna

The endocrine system can be greatly impacted by infrared sauna use. Saunas help stimulate hormone release and reach optimal hormonal balance. Some of the most notable benefits of saunas for endocrine system health are the reduction of cortisol, and the increase of growth hormone, beta-endorphins, prolactin and norepinephrine secretion. The endocrine system response to infrared sauna use is heavily correlated with stress reduction.

Reduce Stress

Cortisol is a hormone produced when the body is under stress and the HPA axis, or hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal, is consistently in use. Stress can lead to a number of health issues when left unattended to. Thankfully, reducing stress is one of the more fun things to change in your life! As mentioned before, relax in a sauna, take a day off for yourself, or simply put aside 30 minutes every night to unwind.

Potential Endocrine System Health Issues

Keeping a balance of hormones allows the body to perform optimally. Unfortunately, bodies aren’t always in perfect balance, and hormones can be over or under produces. Imbalances can be caused by internal, such as age and genetics, and external forces such as stress and diet. Though aging tends to take a toll on the body and genetics cannot be changed, there are plenty of manageable lifestyle factors that can impact endocrine system health. Below are some common health issues arising from hormonal imbalance.

Diabetes

If insulin is not produced or utilized properly in the body, blood sugar regulation is not possible. Type 1 diabetes is unavoidable, as it is an autoimmune condition. However, the risk of type 2 diabetes can be lowered with proper lifestyle choices.

Hyperthyroidism & Hypothyroidism

An over-producing thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, may cause an increased heart rate, lost weight, and impacted energy levels. Alternatively, an under-producing thyroid gland suffering from hypothyroidism may result in lower energy, weight gain, and digestive issues.

Infertility

When hormone imbalance occurs in the ovaries and testes, ovulation and sperm production may occur. Similarly, those with hormonal imbalances in the ovaries may suffer from irregular menstrual cycles.

Learning how to maintain a healthy endocrine system and putting healthy habits into action are necessary to prevent future health issues. Though some endocrine system health issues are unavoidable, prevention is always preferred to treatment. If you feel you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance, speak with your doctor about next steps.

With warmer and drier weather on the way, it’s important to have a summer skin care routine that keeps your skin healthy and glowing. From sauna use to natural products, these natural skin care tips will help you avoid dry and damaged skin. Read below for tips for glowing skin in summer that will make you look and feel radiant all season long!

Importance of Natural Skin Care in Summer

Summer is all about fun in the sun, but too much sun can be an issue for your delicate skin. Sun exposure, heat, and dryness all can lead to skin damage, so it is important to find a summer skin care routine that protects your skin from these elements. From the products you use to the activities you do, learning how to take care of skin in summer naturally will save you from discomfort and health issues down the road.

Natural Summer Skin Care Routine Tips

Wear Sunscreen

This is one of the most important factors in your summer skin care routine. Getting a burn isn’t just painful, it is extremely damaging to your skin as well. Even one sunburn increases your chance of skin cancer. Especially over time, damaging UV rays can affect the genetic makeup of your skin cells. The burn itself doesn’t increase the risk of skin cancer, sun exposure does. Try to limit outdoor activities with direct sun, or be sure to wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen and appropriate clothing while in the sun.

There are many natural sunscreen options to keep your skin and the environment healthy and happy – you can even make your own! Apply 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply the same amount every 2 hours. Your face, back, and shoulders may be obvious areas to cover, but don’t forget your hands, feet, ears, and scalp.

Use an Infrared Sauna

Your skin holds on to the dirt and toxins you’ve encountered throughout the day, especially during the summer when you are in contact with sunscreen, pools, beach towels, and sweat. If not washed off or removed from your body, you face the risk of building up toxins and causing breakouts. While sitting in an infrared sauna in the summer might just sound like another hot activity, there are many detoxifying benefits to sweating it out.

Using an infrared sauna for skin care is a great and natural way to cleanse your pores and eliminate blemishes. Sweat helps remove deeply embedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving you with clean and glowing skin in summer. It is important to cleanse your face after to avoid further clogging from the sweat and removed toxins.

Practice After-Sun Care

While sunburn prevention is preferred, burns happen to the best of us, whether it was an unexpected outing in the sun or a missed spot on your back. If you did happen to get a sunburn, your next best step is learning the proper after-sun care techniques to reduce the healing time. The sun damage will still be present, but you can still reduce the visibility and painful effects of burns with the right techniques.

After getting a sunburn, take a cool shower or bath to soothe your skin. Be very cautious of warm or hot water, as this will only exaggerate the pain and slow down healing. Use light cleansers and moisturizers while healing to avoid irritation. Aloe has been the go-to after-sun remedy for years as it offers cooling and moisturizing properties. Hydrate your skin by hydrating yourself with plenty of water, and be extra careful with future sun exposure.

Moisturize

When out in the sun all day, your face can use a boost of moisture. Applying a lightweight daily moisturizer with SPF is an easy way to give your face an extra layer of protection. Once you turn in for the night, give your skin another boost of hydration with a natural face cream that will help replenish your skin overnight. You’ll want to avoid using moisturizers that are too thick, as they can clog pores. You can either buy an all-natural moisturizer or raid your pantry for natural ingredients that will help your skin glow.

Exfoliate

One of the biggest tips for glowing skin in summer is exfoliating. The heat and dryness in the air can lead to dry skin and dullness. Using a light exfoliator should be part of your regular summer skin care routine to reveal fresh and glowing skin. Avoid abrasive exfoliants on your face that can cause irritation, and don’t exfoliate daily until you know your skin can handle it. Exfoliate your legs once a week to keep them glowing and to give you a cleaner shave. Be sure to use a natural exfoliant, or even make your own homemade scrubs with simple ingredients you can find in your pantry.

Cleanse Regularly

Making sure your face is clean and free of impurities is imperative during the summer. As mentioned earlier, our bodies are introduced to many toxins throughout the day – the sand on your beach towel, the chlorine in the pool, the buildup from sunscreen, and sweat in general. Your summer skin care routine should include a cleanse twice a day, once in the morning to wash off sweat or debris from sleeping and once at night to wash off impurities from the day. A clean face is more likely to absorb moisturizers to keep your skin glowing in the summer.

Battle Breakouts

You may realize you suffer from more breakouts during the summer months. Summer breakouts can be caused by a number of things, from increased sweat to the application of sun protection. Avoid skin irritation and breakouts by being mindful of what summer skin care products you’re putting on your skin, as things like sunscreen, heavy moisturizers, bug spray, and tanning lotion can all clog pores. Opt for natural, oil-free products to keep your skin refreshed and healthy.

When going out and enjoying the sun this summer, keep your skin healthy with a natural summer skin care routine. Prevention is the key, but it also helps to make sure you have the proper tools and techniques to handle summer skin woes such as burns and dryness. Protect your skin this summer, and you’ll be glowing all season!

Whether it’s chronic or temporary, pain can get in the way of everyday life. Thankfully, there are many holistic and alternative pain management techniques such as sauna use, CBD products, acupuncture, and a range of other natural remedies that can help reduce, manage, and potentially eliminate pain.

If you are seeking natural pain remedies, read below to see the top treatments for alternative pain management.

Alternative & Holistic Pain Relief Treatments

Acupuncture

The use of acupuncture for pain management has been practiced for centuries with origins in Asia. Western culture has adopted the practice to remedy a range of pain-related ailments such as migraines, low back pain, joint pain, and fibromyalgia. The practice is conducted by placing fine needles into acupoints in the skin to relieve pain or tension. It is believed that the placement of these needles releases endorphins that are natural pain killers.

Some acupuncturists place needles in specific areas to balance energy, while others may apply heat or electric stimulation to further work muscles and nerves. Depending on your provider, many insurance companies cover this holistic pain management treatment with a certified acupuncturist.

CBD Products

As cannabis has become more accepted in today’s culture, CBD products have been on the rise. Because they typically do not contain THC compound that causes psychoactive effects, they are legal and accessible in most states. CBD products can be found in many forms, from drinks and edibles to drops and body creams.

These items have gained increased popularity due to their healing properties. Studies show that topical CBD products are effective in reducing inflammation in joints and improving the heal time of wounds. Taken orally, CBD in cannabis-based medicines helped alleviate neuropathic pain while improving sleep.

Chiropractic & Massage Treatments

Back pain and neck pain are often treated with either one of both of chiropractic and massage therapy treatments. Chiropractic adjustments help realign the body through a series of spinal manipulation. While the practice may seem intimidating with all the pops and cracks, realigning the body can alleviate pain and prevent future injury.

Massage therapy focuses on treating muscular ailments that may be causing pain. Muscle tension causes aches throughout the body – and can even lead to the misalignment of the skeleton. Both professional and at-home massage can help release muscle tension by increasing blood flow to affected areas and reducing stress.

Chromotherapy

The practice of chromotherapy has a range of health benefits, many tied to the reduction of pain and improvement of healing. Each color is associated with a different healing attribute for the body and is practiced by exposing the body to various colored lights depending on the ailment.

Learn more about the benefits of each color with this color chart.

Color therapy, another term for chromotherapy, can be used to reduce swelling, tension, and inflammation, thus reducing pain. Color therapy has been shown to accelerate the body’s capabilities to repair, improve circulation, and to speed healing time for injuries.

Dietary Modifications

Making a few changes to your diet may be the holistic pain relief you’ve been searching for. Inflammation is often a culprit of chronic pain, and there are a number of anti-inflammatory ingredients to help. Often, switching to a healthier diet leads to weight loss, which can also alleviate pain.

Ginger, turmeric, blueberries, tart cherries, and salmon all contain anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce swelling. Other ingredients such as virgin olive oil and chili peppers contain compounds that act as painkillers.

Exercise

It seems that exercise is always the go-to remedy for health-related issues, and that’s because it works! Exercise benefits your body in countless ways, but especially when it comes to pain relief. Sometimes pain can make exercise seem impossible, but it is important to stay active to whatever you can tolerate – even if that’s just a quick walk or light stretching.

Working out helps improve your pain threshold, strengthens your muscles to provide your body better support and avoid injury, and aids in weight loss that can help alleviate pain. Consult a doctor before trying any rigorous exercise for alternative pain management.

Infrared Sauna Use

One of the many infrared sauna health benefits is its effectiveness when it comes to natural pain remedies. The infrared heat therapy used allows heat to deeply penetrate into muscles, joints, and muscles to improve circulation and increase oxygen flow.

This heat helps soothe aching muscles and joints while speeding up the body’s recovery process. Radiant heat found in infrared saunas is also helpful in reducing joint stiffness that can cause discomfort. Taking the time to relax in an infrared sauna also improves sleep, giving your body a chance to repair and restore.

Mind-Body Therapies

The mind is a powerful tool in managing pain naturally. Mindfulness is a necessary part of pain relief, as mentally handling the pain is just as impactful as physically managing it. When suffering from pain, finding the right coping mechanism can make all the difference.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and visualization are useful techniques when handling pain. By approaching the situation with a calm mind, it has been shown that you can reprogram your brain and the way it manages pain intensity.

If you are suffering from chronic pain, speak with your doctor before attempting any rigorous natural pain remedies. Be safe when introducing new practices to your routine, and stop immediately if your pain worsens.

When managing pain, it may take a few attempts and a combination of treatments to finally find relief. Adding one or two of these alternative pain management practices to your treatment can bring about the results you have been searching for – or at least will introduce you to a new practice that can help avoid injury and pain in the future.