Last week we gave a lesser-known and broader definition of stress. We also talked about what happens during menopause, and 2 of the main hormones at play in this event: Progesterone and Estrogen. We talked about how the ratio of progesterone (our most protective hormone) and estrogen (a stress hormone and catalyst of many other stress hormones) shifts to a more estrogen-dominant profile and the possible health consequences of this shift (increased risk for breast and other cancers, heart disease, insulin resistance/diabetes, and other "lifestyle diseases").
This week, we're going to look a little more into the "Stress Hormone Cascade" that happens in response to any type of stress, and is elevated in menopausal women do to the aforementioned hormonal shift. So, here are a few more definitions:
Cortisol: hormone that is released by the adrenal glands in response to any stress such as exercise, lack of sleep, low blood sugar, etc. Cortisol breaks down proteins from muscles and organs (usually the thymus gland- our immune system control- first!) into amino acids to be converted into glucose (sugar) by the liver for energy to overcome the current stress.
Adrenaline: hormone released by the adrenal glands to signal the liver to release additional glucose (liver glycogen) for fuel. Adrenaline also mobilizes free fatty acids ("triglycerides") for fuel when glycogen stores have been depleted. Symptoms of adrenaline release are cold extremites and nose compared to the rest of the body.
Serotonin: an adaptive stress hormone released by the small intestine in response to stress, and is triggered by increased estrogen. One of serotonin's main functions is smooth muscle contraction (ie. gut motility in response to stress, blood vessels- high blood pressure, etc) as well as activating the pituitary gland, otherwise known as "stress central."
Triiodothyronine (T3 or Thyroid Hormone): T3 is the "active" form of thyroid hormone. T3 is created in the liver by an enzymatic conversion of T4 (glucose (sugar) + selenium + enzymes). T3 elevates the metabolism, and is combined with Vitamin A and LDL cholesterol in the liver to create Pregnenolone- our most youthful, "mother hormone" that gets converted into all of our anti-stress hormones such as Progesterone, Testosterone, and DHEA. These, along with T3 are what the body needs more of and less of the others for optimal health, high metabolism, and function.
As we said earlier, this response is continually happening in us all of the time. It is intensified as the hormone profile shifts. Menopause is one of the "symptoms" of chronic exposure to these stress hormones without the proper balance of the youthful, protective hormones. The result being low metabolism, inefficient use of glucose and oxygen for energy production, inflammation, a suppressed immune system, and in our context, decreased ability to adapt to exercise.
All of these stress hormones are catalysts of each other. If we're breaking down our own proteins (muscle tissue) and mobilizing fat stores for energy because our "chemistry" is not optimal, building muscle and gaining strength becomes very difficult unless you eat enough protein to counteract this response (150+ grams/day!), which is still less than ideal. Muscle is what burns fat while we're resting, so if you want to be lean, you want to build muscle!
As we saw last week, this response (menopause) doesn't always happen. So how can we delay it or minimize it? Last week we started with assessing first: See just where your metabolic state is which will give you an idea of how your thyroid and hormone system are performing. Body temperature and heart rate were our 2 measures. (98.6-99.5 degrees, and 85-95 beats per minute are optimal) Today, we've learned of another marker: coldness of the extremities and nose.
If your thyroid/metabolism are "underperforming" and you've found evidence of increased stress hormones, we now have some clues as to how we can improve them. If you look at the definitions above, and those from last week, we see that "stress" is a requirement of extra energy- the ultimate effect of these hormones is the creation of glucose for energy at the expense of our own tissues. Energy is produced in our cells by breaking down glucose (sugar) and oxygen. In the absence of these, metabolism is slowed and the stress hormone response is increased to make up for it.
Supplementation can be helpful to give your body the proper tools and building blocks to create these protective hormones, and is sometimes necessary. However, how you fuel your body with the food you eat is still the most important factor in creating the hormone profile you desire. The foundation of the correct nutrients from diet has to be in place before you can apply the mortar of supplements. **Notice we used the word "correct" instead of "healthy." There are thousands of foods that are considered healthy and unhealthy. What makes them "healthy?" Your body's response to those foods! Everyone responds to foods a little differently. So finding the right types and right amounts foryour body is the key making a food healthy or not.
Our first "magic remedy": Orange Juice (not from concentrate and pulp free!) Orange juice is full of important vitamins and minerals. We'll highlight 2 for you: fructose and potassium. Fructose is similar to glucose as far as energy production goes, but is slightly different than the glucose molecule and is treated differently. Many people who have blood sugar control problems mostly have problems controlling glucose, which makes fructose a better option.* Fructose has also been shown to rebuild liver glycogen stores very efficiently. Potassium is also a very important mineral for many processes in the body. One of its key functions is blood sugar control. Potassium actually plays a lager part than insulin in transporting glucose into the cells for use.** High potassium helps minimize insulin dependency for those who are pre-diabetic and showing signs of "insulin resistance." Those who are worried about the effects of increased insulin do well with orange juice due to the high amount of potassium.
Our stress hormones are released in when we don't have sufficient resources to handle a stressor. Having a glass (or bottle) of orange juice with you to sip on throughout the day, or having frequent snacks of OJ with some milk or cheese can give you a very pure, healthy, and protective fuel source to help fuel the conversion of your youthful, protective hormones and minimize the estrogen, cortisol, adrenaline response. Trust your brain, and use taste as your guide. If it doesn't taste sweet enough that day, you're likely low on fuel, so add a little white sugar (sucrose) to the juice**. If it's too acidic, add a tiny pinch of baking soda to neutralize the acid. OJ also makes a great "sports drink" during your workouts.
There's more to come of tips and strategies to improve your hormone profile. Until then....
Keep Moving!
*Click here if you need to see the science that confirms this.
**Click here for more reading on potassium and blood sugar control
***Click here for the sucrose science
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