Explore our collection of articles on hormones, thyroid health, and wellbeing—written with care and backed by research.
There are currently more than 80 identified autoimmune diseases, including those you have likely heard of:
An estimated 50% of the world population is likely to be vitamin D deficient. Summer months are a good time to turn that around. But when seasons change, it is a good time to consider what this means for you continuing a Vitamin D supplementation regimen.
The major sex hormones to assess are estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. The main adrenal hormones are DHEA and cortisol. These five hormones will provide crucial information about deficiencies, excesses, and daily patterns, which will then result in a specifically tailored treatment approach and one far more beneficial than the old “shotgun" approach. Below is a brief description of each of these five hormones:
In the emergency room, the doctor said I broke a bone in my foot and asked whether I’d been taking calcium and vitamin D. I hadn’t.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and pro-hormone that exists in several different forms.
Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) is not produced in the body and comes from plant sources, whereas cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) is found in cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines; is fortified in milk; and is manufactured in the skin with adequate exposure to the sun's UVB rays.
A commonly overlooked hormone is DHEA. It is an often misunderstood, yet very important part of the whole hormonal picture. It is a key player in achieving hormone balance.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is the most common steroid hormone in the body and is mainly produced by the adrenal glands, but smaller amounts are made elsewhere in the body.
When was the last time you enjoyed a truly delicious night of restful sleep? You know the kind: drifting, deep, and restful? When was the last time you woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated?
All too often, many women can’t even recall the last time they had a good night’s sleep. That Americans have trouble sleeping is evidenced by the number of sleep aids currently on the market. Instead of addressing the underlying cause of sleep disturbances like insomnia, we settle for medicated sleep, which at best gives us poor-quality sleep often accompanied by a host of side effects. You don’t even realize how much you depend on restful sleep until you have trouble sleeping. Sleep is absolutely essential to your health.
Would you be surprised to know that the biggest obstacle to weight loss could be your hormones?
For me, what is always frustrating and depressing is following yet another weight loss or lifestyle plan or adding a new supplement to the list and still not being able to shed those extra pounds.
Salivary Cortisol Testing -- Single Versus Multiple Daily Tests
Salivary cortisol testing is the preferred clinical method for measuring human cortisol levels. It has several obvious advantages over blood tests, such as greater validity for tissue levels of cortisol, the convenience of home testing, non-invasiveness, and zero risks of infection. But arguably one of the most important features it offers is the ability to take multiple test samples during the same day.
