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The human body produces many chemical messengers and hormones are just one classification. Due to the comprehensive nature of this topic we will scale down and focus on 10 important hormones. Without a healthy balance of these hormones healthy body function is impossible and expedited aging results.

1. Cholesterol

All hormones are made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is the main indicator of internal stress. If cholesterol is high, the stress burden in the body is also high. High levels of cholesterol can cause serious disease like heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol that is too low is not healthy and can indicate loss of vitality. Aging of the body increases when cholesterol is out of balance.

2. Thyroid Hormones

Thyroid hormones control the body’s thermostat (heat) and metabolic rate. When this hormone is out of balance various things like depression, anxiety, dry skin, slow digestion, and fatigue result. Low thyroid can affect cholesterol metabolism and contribute to high cholesterol.

3. Cortisol

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and regulates the body’s ability to adapt to stress. When this hormone is too high or low, resistance to stress is impaired and metabolism and immunity usually decline as a result. This hormone is known as the main regulatory hormone which keeps the body’s clock on time.

4. DHEA

This is involved in regulating stress, immunity, metabolism, and hormone production. It is considered the regulating hormone of stress adaptation. Decreased levels will result in decreased energy and resistance to stress.

5. Insulin

Insulin regulates sugar metabolism and cellular metabolism. If this hormone is not working appropriately diabetes, high and low blood sugar is the result. This can predispose to other diseases like obesity, heart attack and stroke. Insulin uptake and use is improved by good diet and daily exercise.

6. Glucagon

Glucagon regulates sugar metabolism and metabolic controls. If this hormone does not work, it impairs insulin, predisposing one to diabetes and other metabolic challenges. Glucagon and insulin must work together to keep a vital internal balance. Glucagon is also known to assist in liver health and detoxification.

7. Estrogen

Estrogen is the hormone of reproduction and cellular integrity and metabolism. Every cell of the human body needs estrogen, but too much can predispose to hormonal related cancer. It is important for women to be on a balanced hormone program that is individualized and enhances hormonal performance and minimizes cancer risk.

8. Progesterone

This hormone is important in many processes of the body. It is the hormone of reproduction, cellular integrity, immunity, and stress adaptation. It is known that progesterone influences the immune system in a favorable way. It also enhances bone building and expedites metabolism making it a useful hormone in weight loss.

9. Testosterone

Testosterone is the hormone of reproduction, cellular integrity, and metabolism. When this hormone is low energy, libido, memory, and stress adaptation are also low. This is a vital hormone for men and women and needs be maintained. Loss of this hormone profoundly affects health and increases the aging factor.

10. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a cofactor hormone that regulates other hormones and metabolic activity. We know this to be a vitamin, but scientific research demonstrates that it is a hormone that is a key regulator of protective activity. Vitamin D protects against cancer, memory loss, and bone loss, and it is used in virtually every biochemical process of the body. It is essential that adequate levels are maintained. Low Vitamin D results in serious risk of disease and loss of health.

It is essential for these hormones be in proper balance. The easiest way to know if they are in balance is to have a simple blood, saliva, or urine test. Remember these 10 hormones—they are essential in minimizing stress, enhancing immunity, decreasing the aging factor, and increasing overall wellness!

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Readers Respond on Hormones and Sin

I have received responses from our readers regarding my last post on hormones, and one comment I take very seriously is that hormonal chaos should never be an excuse for sinful attitudes and behavior. Hormonal deficiency does not cause sin, nor is replacing deficient hormones the remedy for sin. Jesus Christ is the only remedy for sin.

Our personality must be identified in Jesus Christ. Anything contrary to the nature of Christ (flesh) must go! No excuses should be made for bad behavior, sinful attitudes, and errors in judgment. Repairing hormones cannot fix problems of the flesh—only God can. However, if we are going to be good stewards we should understand how God has designed our bodies to run with hormones.

Intricate Design

The body works on an intricate balance, and many systems within the human body are interdependent. God is incredible in the beautiful design he’s put into the human body. There are various glands involved in hormone production, messaging, and regulation, and hormones are needed for very essential life-sustaining functions.

The Matrix of All Hormones

The matrix of all hormones is a very essential biochemical called cholesterol. Cholesterol is contained in every cell of the human body, and it is required to sustain cell life and health. It is the "mother molecule" of all hormones. In the medical world, cholesterol has been given a bad reputation, and physicians have failed to educate people appropriately regarding cholesterol’s role in sustaining human health. What most people know is that they do not want the bad, high levels of cholesterol, and many are prescribed "statins" to lower their cholesterol.

Depleting Cholesterol Is Not the Answer

The bad thing about "statins" is that they deplete all cells in the body of cholesterol and are known to cause adverse reactions, such as muscle and tendon weakness and atrophy. In extreme cases, drugs may be needed for seriously elevated cholesterol in order to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, long-term use of these cholesterol-lowering medications contribute to alarming reactions, including the body’s inability to produce hormones from resulting cholesterol depletion. Facilitating better use of cholesterol through diet, supplementation, and exercise is a more reasonable approach.

Cholesterol Production Increases in Stress

The most impressive aspect of cholesterol, "the mother of all hormones," is that the body makes more of it during times of physical and emotional stress. Unfortunately, the easily oxidized form known as LDL cholesterol is secreted and results in increased free radical production that causes inflammation and injury to cells and surrounding body tissues (heart and blood vessels). It is important to address the underlying causes that increase bad cholesterol. Stress, deficiencies or excesses, and biochemical imbalances are contributing factors that should be examined and remedied.

The next post in this series will examine the various kinds of hormones and glands in more detail.

To be continued.

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Editor's note:  Most Resurgence readers are men between the ages of 18 and 35. Most men think they're impervious to health problems, but after speaking with several pastors’ wives, we know that they've found these posts to be very helpful in caring for their families. Feel free to pass these on to anyone you feel would benefit.

Hormones Can Make You Feel Good Or Bad

Hormones gone crazy will lead to wild and crazy behavior. It doesn’t matter whether you are male or female. One thing is for sure—you cannot convert evil hormones. When they are not working correctly, they can create havoc, no matter how devout you are.

Hormones for Women

You know your hormones are wild and out of control when:

• You are using a blanket and opening a window at the same time on a cold day.
• Your husband was the one who was always hot, and now you're the warm one.
• You can relate to all of your girlfriends’ feelings about their husbands during a certain time of the month or during menopausal change.
• You don't want to talk or spend time with your husband.
• Your love life is either flat, ice cold, or on fire—all at the same time.
• Strange and bizarre expressions and words you’ve never used before become the norm.

Hormones for Men

You know your hormones are messed up when:

• You start noticing your chest, stomach and executive fat roll getting out of control and finding it easy to gain weight and hard to lose it.
• Your physique becomes a thing of the past.
• You cannot maintain sexual activity (Erectile Dysfunction).
• You have excessive anxiety, mood changes, and depression.
• Your wife needs to repeat the same things over and over again.
• You lose muscle mass, bone mass, and strength, and your energy plummets.
• You lose excessive amounts of hair.
• You experience the same type of cramps, night sweats, and trouble sleeping and other symptoms that your wife experienced during her menstrual cycle (If you tell her she may think you are nuts!).
• Your wife tells you that you need counseling because these symptoms are not normal for a guy.
• Your enthusiasm for daily life is gone, and special activity is not the highest priority.
• Your prostate begins to malfunction, and your doctor tells you that your PSA is high or your testosterone is low.

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance

Some of the undesirable things that occur when hormones are out of balance are symptoms like hot flashes, excessive sweating, foul body odor, excessive tiredness, menstrual cramps, accumulation of fluid and swelling, irregular menses, painful intercourse, feminine dryness, loss of libido, hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, fatigue, moodiness, depression, anxiety, or you find yourself easily angered and frustrated. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’re hormones are likely out of control.

Hormones Are Essential to Every System of the Body

The immune system depends upon a healthy hormone system, so in this series we are going to examine all of the hormones that influence your daily health and how essential it is that they are all working in unison to keep you hormonally balanced.

We will discuss the facts and myths of hormone replacement therapy and its essential role in keeping your endocrine (gland regulating system) in vibrant wellness. We will map the entire glandular system to help you understand the important roles that the brain, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands and sex glands play in keeping hormone balance. Lastly, we will explore the essential roles of Vitamin D and Calcium metabolism with regards to keeping hormones healthy.

To be continued.