BEYOND FITNESS: THE ROLE OF HORMONES IN AGING WELL

UNDERSTANDING THE PROFOUND INFLUENCE OF HORMONAL BALANCE ON HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL FOR AGING WITH VITALITY

ACTIVE AGING PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES OF OUR HEALTH, ENCOURAGING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS INCLUDING EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL, PHYSICAL, AND SPIRITUAL.

Lifting the social boundaries and aging expectations for men and women means always working towards disease prevention and never just “accepting” it as part of aging.

A viable and underused piece of active aging should involve supporting hormone balance, the fourth pillar of health I have identified as a women’s health expert (pillars include Nutrition and Lifestyle, Exercise, Stress Management, Hormone Balance). As women and men age, hormone imbalance becomes a strong influencer in their ability to sustain their current fitness level and all aspects of their emotional, physical, and mental health. The influence of their underlying chemistry has many far reaching “ill” effects that if left untreated will often lead them down the road of disease states such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, irritable bowel, and more. If treated solely with medication, one drug will lead to another with a lengthy list of unwanted side effects. Even breast and prostate health will be influenced, affecting our optimal health and sexual health.

Our best choice is to step back and work towards disease prevention by being pro-active. Understanding the strong impact of hormones on both women and men as they age and transition thru perimenopause, menopause, and male andropause helps to elevate awareness and educate our community.

The science behind all five hormones for women and men (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol), especially high cortisol, can become a big game changer affecting a variety of disease states. Ignoring the fall out will eventually lead to a “tipping point” where the imbalance of hormones becomes a volcano of health issues and an extensive list of aggravating symptoms. However, this can be prevented if we have a plan to age “actively.”

Hormones are “driving the bus” and influencing all aspects of our health. There are multiple layers of influence: our internal balance, the stress of our immediate environment, and the outer layer of hormone disruptors chemicals in our environment that are absorbed through our skin and lungs mimicking and competing for our own internal receptors.

Th best solution is to be proactive and support all four pillars of health and do our best to control our internal environment with proper nutrition, stress management, fitness or movement, and hormone balance with natural supplements and no side effects.

Where do you start? Start with education and a little science. Hormones play a huge role in aging well and overall health. It is not just one or two hormones; it is the interaction and chemistry of multiple hormones that affect our physiological systems. Hormone imbalance should never be ignored as it affects our physical, emotional, and mental health in our personal and professional lives. Being proactive is the key to active aging.

Kelly Nolan is a pharmacist, women’s health expert of 30 plus years, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and a #1 best-selling author. Her extensive expertise in women’s health and specialized training in saliva hormone testing provides a niche service for perimenopausal and menopausal women with tailored solutions for weight loss and customized programs to balance hormones naturally.