Go to Part I of this series: Thinning Hair? Nutrition to Balance Hormones
Hair loss, especially in women, is often associated with profound stress. Life events such as divorce, loss of loved ones, loss of employment, and family illness are common causes. And then there is peri-menopause and menopause; kicking in hormone reductions that can cause metabolic stress, such as the liver/gallbladder compromise discussed in part 1. The liver isn’t the only organ affected by stress and/or menopause. The Adrenal Glands, your stress handlers, are not only primary responders to all types of stress. When menopause hits, they get another job! They take over progesterone production as the ovaries shut down. Whoa!
The adrenal glands are walnut sized glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Their primary function is to respond to stress as directed by the Hypothalamus & Pituitary glands (HP Axis), which we will talk about more next time.
When you are stressed, your Sympathetic Nerve Pathway aka “Fight-Flight” System is activated. When your HP axis sends a stress signal your Adrenals Glands secrete Epinephrine and Nor-epinephrine (adrenalin), followed by another hormone, Cortisol, which acts to release stored sugar from the liver into the blood.
Stress and the Fight-Flight Reaction
If this happens occasionally; no problem. However, if your panic button is getting pushed over and over again, problems start to brew.
When you are under profound, prolonged stress, your body must make some tough choices regarding priorities: Reproduce or Survive.
Obviously, survival trumps reproduction. So, instead of allocating nutrients and production time for sex hormones and hair, the body prioritizes the production of stress hormones made by the adrenals: Away goes your libido and your hair!
Supporting Adrenal Glands during and after times of stress is wise.
We stock glandular, herbal, and specific whole food vitamins designed for Adrenal Support. We also counsel you on what foods to eat and avoid to help your adrenals.
Don’t wait for your hair to fall out!
If your hair is already thinning, action is overdue!
