LIFESTYLE

8 Ways to Balance Hormones 

8 Ways to Balance Hormones 

Hormones are substances produced in one part of our body that provide functions in another part of the body. Almost every part of the body is impacted by hormones and almost all hormones are related together. They work in a balancing system. When one is low, another will become high. Over time, hormone imbalances can cause chronic issues that can lead to diseases or even cancer. The female reproductive system especially relies on hormone balance. If you have hormone imbalances you may notice symptoms like hair loss, irregular period, infertility, intense PMS, fatigue, weight loss or weight gain, feeling cold, or weak joints. Here we will discuss some lifestyle and nutrition changes that are beneficial ways to balance hormones.

9 Negative Effects Of Alcohol

9 Negative Effects Of Alcohol

Alcohol can be a fun way to socialize with friends and family, but it comes with a price to your health. It isn’t a surprise that alcohol is not the healthiest beverage to consume. The third most preventable cause of death is from alcohol-related causes coming in at 95,000 deaths per year. Drinking more than 4 alcoholic beverages for men and 3 for women per day is considered heavy drinking and can put high levels of harm on your body. Here we will discuss the negative effects of alcohol.

Alcohol Effects on Mood

Alcohol Effects on Mood

Many people associate the negative health effects of alcohol with liver and kidney problems, but unfortunately, alcohol’s damage does not end there. When ingested, alcohol can actually elicit many harmful effects on our mood chemicals called neurotransmitters. Negative impacts on these neurotransmitters will affect our emotions and cognitive abilities. The brain’s neurotransmitters work on a balance between the inhibitory and excitatory effects. They should both be equal to each other in normal circumstances, but with alcohol consumption they become imbalanced, and then overcompensation can occur in the long term. The inhibitory neurotransmitters are responsible for decreasing responsiveness to neurons, causing a sedative effect. The excitatory neurotransmitters are responsible for increasing responsiveness to neurons. It is important to understand the way alcohol effects on mood especially if you deal with current mental health problems.

11 Harmful Effects of Caffeine

11 Harmful Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant substance found in tea leaves, coffee, and cocoa beans. When consumed, caffeine inhibits adenosine receptors in the brain. These help us relax and chill out, so we are more awake and alert when these receptors are inhibited by caffeine consumption. Caffeine affects many parts of the body due to the stimulatory effect, and many people do not know how much they consume. An average amount of caffeine is 70 -150mg (the same as 1-2 cups of coffee). Many pre-workout supplements and caffeine pills can contain up to 300mg per serving/dosage. It is important to know the harmful effects of caffeine so you can get to the root of unwanted symptoms.

8 Exercise Addiction Symptoms

8 Exercise Addiction Symptoms

While exercise is a beneficial habit to work into your lifestyle to prolong your life and decrease the risk of disease, it can become an addiction and cause issues. Decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, decreased blood pressure, decreased cortisol levels, improved sleep, and improved mental health are all evidence-based benefits of regular exercising. All able-bodied people should implement some form of exercise in their life when possible to reap these benefits, but some people take exercise to another level and it quickly becomes an addiction. Just like we should have a healthy relationship with food, we should have a healthy relationship with exercise. It should be done to make us happy and healthy, but we shouldn’t exercise because we feel like we need to. Addictions to exercise stem from bad relationships with food, bad body image, and false information from the media. Here we will discuss how to know what the exercise addiction symptoms are.

9 Reasons Why Alcohol Is Bad

9 Reasons Why Alcohol Is Bad

Alcohol can be enjoyed during celebrations and holidays for socializing, but it comes with a price to your health. It isn’t a surprise that alcohol is not the healthiest beverage to consume. The third most preventable cause of death is from alcohol-related causes coming in at 95,000 deaths per year. Drinking more than 4 alcoholic beverages for men and 3 for women per day is considered heavy drinking and can put high levels of harm on your body. Here we will discuss the reasons why alcohol is bad for your body.

Why is Alcohol Harmful?

Why is Alcohol Harmful?

Alcohol has been normalized today as a fun way to socialize and celebrate events, but it comes with a price that many people dismiss. In fact, the third most preventable cause of death is from alcohol-related causes coming in at 95,000 deaths per year. Drinking more than 4 alcoholic beverages for men and 3 for women per day is considered heavy drinking and can put high levels of harm on your body. Here we will discuss why is alcohol harmful.

6 Signs You Are Obsessed With Exercise

6 Signs You Are Obsessed With Exercise

Exercise is a vital habit to implement to prolong your life and decrease the risk of disease. Decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, decreased blood pressure, decreased cortisol levels, improved sleep, and improved mental health are all evidence-based benefits of regular exercising. All able-bodied people should implement some form of exercise in their life when possible to reap these benefits, but some people take exercise to another level and it quickly becomes an obsession. Just like we should have a healthy relationship with food, we should have a healthy relationship with exercise. It should be done to make us happy and healthy, but we shouldn’t exercise because we feel like we need to. Obsessions with exercise stem from bad relationships with food, bad body image, and false information from the media.

How Alcohol Affects the Body

How Alcohol Affects the Body

Alcohol can be a fun way to socialize with friends and family, but it comes with a price. It isn’t a surprise that alcohol is not the healthiest beverage to consume. The third most preventable cause of death is from alcohol-related causes coming in at 95,000 deaths per year. Drinking more than 4 alcoholic beverages for men and 3 for women per day is considered heavy drinking and can put high levels of harm on your body. Here we will discuss how alcohol affects the body.

How to Lower Cortisol Levels at Night

How to Lower Cortisol Levels at Night

Stress is a physiological response to all of these things listed. Our bodies gear up to protect us to literally run or fight it. Cortisol, our stress hormone, is released and blood sugar, blood pressure, and breathing rate rise to have oxygen and energy. Digestion and reproduction take a back seat because it is not deemed important at this moment until the threat is handled. Chronic stress can lead to imbalances in the body over time.

When we wake up in the morning, we get a burst of cortisol to allow us to be motivated to start the day and to get out of bed, and as the day goes on the cortisol will decrease to normal levels so that you feel tired by the end of the day. At this time, your cortisol levels should be at their lowest point. Many women do not have this cycle of cortisol because if you are not getting enough sleep or not getting enough quality of sleep this can inhibit cortisol from dropping throughout the day, and it can cause a spike to occur before bed. A cortisol spike in the evening may be behind your inability to fall asleep, nighttime racing thoughts, or insomnia.