Foundation Of Health: Why You Should Value Hormone Balance

Hormones are vital for to the body’s correct functioning. Some experts consider hormones as the foundation of health; if the foundations are not stable, building health with the food taken, sleep and exercise performed, and supplements received would be impossible. These are extremely varied chemical substances that regulate a number of biological mechanisms. The adrenal glands, thyroid glands, pituitary glands, pancreas, ovaries, and testicles secrete hormones.

Image source: bockintegrative.com

While many still think about male or female hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, numerous others affect one’s health. These other hormones are cortisol, the stress hormone; thyroid hormones, which affect mood, energy, and weight; and insulin, which is in charge of blood sugars and is highly inflammatory to the body in high levels. As these hormones are part of the endocrine system, a deficiency or imbalance in any of them can have an impact on the other hormones as well.

Hormones are released into the bloodstream and go on to contact with target cells in various areas of the body where they produce their effects. They alter cell activity by causing a sequence of reactions that lead to particular effects, usually complex ones, most often through speeding up or slowing down normal biological processes. A physician aims to balance a patient’s blood sugar and sex hormones, lower inflammation by maintaining inflammatory hormones like cortisol and insulin in balance, and ensure the thyroid hormones are stable, as it impacts energy and weight. A close look at one’s nutrition, exercise regimens, sleeping methods, and methods of managing stress are done to educate patients on their long-term health.

Image source: bockintegrative.com

Dr. Victoria J. Mondloch is a practicing physician based in Wisconsin. She has been specializing in women’s health, family medicine, and preventive health and wellness for more than 25 years. For more about Dr. Mondloch, click here.

All You Need To Know About Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

In adults 50 years and older, lumbar spinal stenosis is a common cause of lower back, buttock, and leg pain. It’s a condition wherein either the spinal canal (central stenosis) or one or more of the vertebral foramina (foraminal stenosis) starts to become narrowed.

Image source: orthospinenews.com

Typically caused by degenerative arthritis, low back pain along with pain, weakness, and numbness or decreased sensation in the legs can be developed in patients. Lumbar spinal stenosis usually occurs when bone or tissue, or both, grow in the openings in the spinal bones. The growth can press and irritate the nerves that extend from the spinal cord. 

As people age, there can be changes that can happen such as connective tissues, also referred to as ligaments, get thicker; arthritis which leads to the growth of bony spurs that push on the nerves that extend from the spinal cord; and the discs between the bones being forced backward into the spinal canal. Its symptoms get worse when an individual starts to walk, stand straight, or lean backward. The pain is alleviated when one sits down or bends forward. 

While low back pain and stiffness in the legs and thighs are experienced by many who suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis, extreme cases can mean loss of bladder and bowel control. Symptoms may be severe occasionally and not as bad at other times. Most individuals aren’t severely disabled, and many don’t have symptoms at all. Imaging tests such as x-ray, MRI, CT scan will be needed for its diagnosis. Mild to moderate symptoms can be controlled with pain medicines, exercise, and physical therapy. In some cases, a doctor can give a patient a spinal shot of corticosteroid, a medication that reduces inflammation. 

Image source: coreem.net

Dr. Victoria J. M0ndloch aspires to empower patients by working together on medical diagnoses and educating them on the best steps to stay healthy. To learn about Dr. Mondloch’s practice, visit this page.