Healthy Hormones

Written By Dr. Daniel Kimbley

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to bounce off the walls with energy while others struggle through the day with multiple cups of coffee? It all has to do with our body’s hormonal system. We all know that having a healthy hormonal system (otherwise known as the endocrine system) is a critical factor for both health and longevity. 

A quick Google search of hormones in the news will likely result in an overwhelming amount of information about hormone balancing, hormone replacement therapy, and increasingly popular bio-identical hormones, yet there is much misinformation about the benefits of these treatments.

The hormonal systems in our bodies are important because they control our energy levels, metabolism, and our body’s ability to heal. Exhaustion, fatigue, irritability, decreased libido, weight gain, trouble concentrating, and trouble with blood sugar are just a few of the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance. 

While some would suggest you should supplement your body with the missing hormones, the problem is, supplementing your body with something that isn’t naturally made by your body never addresses why it was deficient in that particular hormone in the first place. We know that by using hormone replacement, we can replenish the body’s depleted hormones, but the question is rarely asked: “What depleted the body’s hormones in the first place?” In other words, what is the cause of hormonal imbalance?

Socrates (469-399 BC) stated, “If you would seek health, look first to the spine”. Never in history has this statement been more accurate than it is today. We now know definitively through the research that a healthy nervous system is the key to living a long, healthy life. Roger Sperry, Nobel Laureate in 1981 found that “90 percent of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain comes from movement of the spine”. That is, proper movement of the spine.

Interference to your nervous system comes from improper movement of the joints of the spine which compromises the body’s ability to heal and regulate itself properly–this includes the body’s ability to regulate its own hormones. “Movement of the spine [the chiropractic adjustment] stimulates proprioceptive input into the cerebellar vermis that in turn acts on the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus”.¹

The amygdala-the emotional center of the brain, the hypothalamus-the controller of the autonomic nervous system and the pituitary gland (which is a hormone producer), and the hippocampus-the center of emotions, autonomics and memory are all stimulated by the chiropractic adjustment. 

Using chiropractic care as the core component of a healthy lifestyle is critical for maintaining a healthy nervous system-the system in your body that controls and regulates all functions. By restoring proper motion of the joints of the spine through Lifestyle Chiropractic care, you are sure to regulate the hormonal signaling systems in the body that control all growth, health, and healing. 

Having your nervous system checked will help ensure that your body is functioning optimally so that you and your loved ones can live your ideal life.

¹ Chestnut, J. L. (2003). The 14 foundational premises for the scientific and philosophical validation of the chiropractic wellness paradigm. Victoria, B.C.: Wellness Practice.