We do not give our hormones the credit they deserve.

Because we don’t understand how much they are involved in.

Let me give you a hint: Everything.

We look at hormones as those things that control our reproductive system, which we separate from the rest of our body anyways.

So many women are taking hormonal birth control for reasons other than contraception.

+ 31% take it for menstrual cramps

+ 28% take it for migraines and other PMS symptoms

+ 14% take it for acne

Now, I’ll let you in on a little secret — birth control doesn’t actually cure any of these things.

But do you know what it does? It effects your organs, your blood, how your brain communicates with your body, and it can really screw with your health, mood, weight, libido, and even your relationships.

That’s because it's our hormones that tell our bodies what to do.

“Hormones affect your metabolism, the way your skin and nails look and feel, your ability to think clearly, how hungry you are, whether you’ll have a period or a baby, your libido and how much energy you have.” — Alisa Vitti

If there is a deficiency in one part of your body, another part has to overcompensate to try and balance it out. And it’s this overcompensation that causes so many problems.

Imagine a group of six people lifting a piano. If one person let’s go, the other five have to take on more weight, readjusting how and where they’re holding it. Now, imagine if another lets go, and another. There’s going to be a lot of strain and weight put on the remaining three people.

That’s what’s happening when your body isn’t able to work together smoothly.

I first really learned about our endocrine system from Alisa Vitti. It is our system of organs and glands that sends information and instructions to one another about how to operate. And how does it communicate? With our hormones.

But what happens when something interferes with the conversation between our endocrine system? For example, if you are eating cupcakes for meals or working 16 hour days, 7 days a week with 5 hours of sleep every night?

Your hormones have to take on the burden of trying to balance out this chaos so you don’t suffer a breakdown of your endocrine system. [Picture that group of people carrying the piano.]

Scary, right?

But how do we ensure that we are avoiding a total breakdown?

With food.

That’s right. We have to protect ourselves through what we eat, as well as what activities we choose to do, each and every day.

This is the best way, the most natural, healthy way to keep our body functioning properly.

So, if you were like me a few years ago, thinking your were invincible, could eat whatever and do whatever you wanted without a second thought about what it was doing to your body and your health, it’s time to take a step back and reconsider if that is how your want to handle your health.

Your hormones are more than just your period, but if you’re not eating right and partaking in beneficial activities like exercise, meditation, etc. you’re going to see the effects manifest through your menstrual cycle.

So, don’t leave those three people to hold up the piano alone. Give the other three the energy and nutrients they need so they can get back in there and take back some of the weight.

[info and facts from "Woman Code" by Alisa Vitti]