Hormone Imbalances Can Affect Anyone

Although we may be eating like we are in the Garden of Eden and exercise until we can’t take it anymore, we still might not see the image of health that we were seeking. Fad diets make the weight go away, but then come right back again. Harnessing cutting-edge science and simple self-care practice of changing lifestyle habits is the purview of functional medicine.

Functional medicine is a personally-tailored medicine. It deals with primary prevention and the underlying causes of chronic disease, rather than simply removing or masking symptoms when they arise. Functional medicine emphasizes true healing; treatment of the person, rather than a disease, and is a partnership of joint responsibility between doctor and patient, embracing the most current science in diagnosing early abnormalities that eventually lead to chronic illness.

The mission of functional medicine is to provide healing and tools to patients in order to improve their overall life circumstances and live a more productive and satisfying life. There are five essential pillars of health that must all be addressed for balance and working harmony to be achieved for a healthy well-being: endocrine system (hormones); detoxification; nutrition; nervous system and fitness.

The imbalance of these pillars leads to chronic conditions such as autoimmune disorders and other afflictions, causing symptoms such as chronic pain, digestive symptoms, stubborn weight, hormone fluctuations, joint pain, dry or irritated skin, depression, general inflammation, brain fog and chronic fatigue. In order to discover the underlying triggers of an autoimmune condition, we must first learn how to turn off the attacks, identify common foods that cause flare-ups and understand why drugs only address the symptoms, while a holistic approach will allow us to live again.

Knowing that hormone imbalances can affect sleep, carbohydrate cravings and fat burning helps to better understand why just counting calories or points doesn’t work for permanently losing belly fat safely and healthfully. With more than 600 hormones in the body, imbalances can occur in both in men and woman.

Dr. Jim Handzel focuses on chiropractic care and functional medicine at Mind, Body and Flow, in Chandler. For more information, call 480-782-6566 or visit MindBodyAndFlow.com.