The human body secretes more than 75 kinds of hormones, and each plays their own role. Among them, eight key hormones are the most closely related to our health and aging
At day spas, many businesses still focus on female guests. The anti-aging and pampering programs tailored for females are always essential. Hormones, in particular, are often mentioned in women’s anti-aging issues, and many of the spa programs involve hormonal regulation and balance. This article talks about some hormones related to women as a reference for spa industry practitioners. Of course, it is just as important for men to maintain a hormonal balance as it is for women.
Estrogen: Stay Feminine
Estrogen is not only a female physiological hormone, but also a youth hormone and health hormone. It is absolutely a protagonist. Estrogen is mainly sourced from ovarian secretion, but also from fat. Every healthy adult woman has the natural capability of secreting estrogen, which is maintained at a delicate balance, thus showing the characteristics of women. It is essential for menstruation and pregnancy and protects women from cardiovascular diseases. Once a woman’s estrogen decreases, her skin becomes rough, wrinkles appear, bones become crisp, fat increases, and the menopause is at least 2-3 years in advance.
Serotonin: The Driving Force of Happiness
The level of serotonin mainly affects our mood and appetite. However, there are a lot of women after the age of 40 who suffer a shortage of serotonin. Dieting, smoking and drinking too much coffee, and lack of sunlight are among the main reasons. Once serotonin levels drop, our bodies will experience depression and pain, and then insomnia follows.
Androgen: Stimulating Sexual Desire
Androgen is an initiator of sexual desire, not just for men, but for women as well. The androgen level in women after the age of 40 begins to decrease because of the tired adrenal glands and the declining ovaries. Once the androgen reduces, it can lead to decreased sexual desire, fat accumulation in the abdomen, and reduced muscle proportion. In addition, it is easier to become fatigues, depressed and lacking in energy.
Insulin: Guiding Food Absorption
Produced in the pancreas, insulin is essential to maintain the normal metabolism of the body. Excessive insulin can cause weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and so on. However, as women age, it seems hard to avoid an over-production of insulin.
Progestin: Completing a Woman’s Mission
Found in the ruptured follicles after ovulation, progestin’s main function is “to give birth” as it completes a series of tasks including conception, gestation and lactation so that women can realize the dream of motherhood. It is the earliest declining hormone during the perimenopausal period. Progestin is also a “buffer” of estrogen: it can prevent breast and endometrial cancers caused by excessive estrogen stimulation.
Stress Hormones: Helping You Cope With Stress
Cortisol, adrenaline and DHEA are known as stress hormones, secreted by the adrenal glands. These three hormones not only help us cope with the stress of life, but also help regulate many important elements in the body, such as blood sugar, muscle movement, body fluids and electrolyte balance. Excessive stress, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits may cause stress hormone imbalance.
Thyroxine: Controlling Metabolism
Produced by the thyroid gland, thyroxine’s main task is to monitor metabolism. If you have symptoms such as extreme fatigue, depression, weight gain, and dry skin, it is possible that you are low in thyroid hormones, namely “hypothyroidism”. Nevertheless, it is not a good thing either if you have too high levels of thyroxine because it may lead to hyperthyroidism. Therefore, to maintain an appropriate balance is the key.
Melatonin: A Clock That Controls Aging
Melatonin may be the most popular hormone, which is known as the physiological clock that controls aging. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and can improve sleep quality. After the age of 45, people often suffer sleep disorders, which can be attributed in part to a lack of melatonin. The study found that a completely dark bedroom helps stimulate melatonin, while turning on a lamp during sleep inhibits the secretion of melatonin, thereby reducing the body’s immune function. This is why people are extremely vulnerable to viral infections after burning the midnight oil.
All in all, to stay young and healthy, you need to change your lifestyle so as to prevent hormonal loss and keep hormones balanced.
Hormonal Balanced Diet
Eat more fruit and vegetables; complex carbohydrates such as oats, black rice and whole wheat bread; foods containing phytoestrogen such as lentils, chickpeas, soybeans and other legumes; some fatty food including fish, nuts, seeds and oils. Drink sufficient water and increase the intake of fiber.
Avoid foods containing additives, preservatives and other chemicals, such as artificial sweeteners. Reduce the intake of caffeine, alcohol, sugar and sweets.
Proper Exercise
Regular and proper exercise improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients in the body and promote the production of hormones. In general, women who like to exercise have more regular menstruation, healthier skin tone, better appetite and higher libido. It is recommended to have aerobic and anaerobic exercise alternatively, totally 30-45 minutes at a time. Prolonged or intense exercise is detrimental to the hormonal balance. Experts point out that the 10 days or so after the end of menstruation is the follicular period, which is the “golden period” to consume calories, meaning the best exercising effect.
Seizing Golden Sleep Time
People who often stay up late or have irregular life schedules not only age quickly, but also suffer health problems, because lack of sleep can lead to metabolic disorders. 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. is the golden sleep period when one enjoys the highest sleep quality and the human growth hormones are massively released. If you can seize this golden period of sleep, your hormones will be well balanced.
No Cigarettes and Tobacco
The synthesis of estrogen requires an essential enzyme – aromatase. However, nicotine inhibits the production of aromatase and therefore reduces estrogen. Women who smoke tend to lose estrogen more quickly, causing not only rough skin and wrinkles, but also earlier menopause, 3-4 years in advance.
A Little More Body Fat
Don’t reject fat! Dieting or vegetarianism is not advisable. In addition to ovarian secretion, a female’s estrogen level more or less depends on her body shape and subcutaneous fat content since adipose tissue is also a source of estrogen production. Studies have confirmed that a woman’s body fat must reach at least 22% of her total weight to maintain a normal menstrual cycle, and if it falls below that standard, the estrogen will be in a state of inadequacy.
Magic of Love
When a woman is in the state of love, the hormone concentration in her body will rise. Stimulated by the hormones, the skin will shrink so that a large number of water molecules will be locked in the skin basal collagen. As a result, the skin appears smooth, delicate and elastic. Don’t regard marriage as the grave of love. Try to keep your love fresh even after marriage.
Make Good Use of Herbal Medicine and Flower Tea
In addition to a cup of soy milk and 50 grams of soy products every day, there are some other ways to supplement estrogen. One of them is to make tea or soup with Angelica tablets. Many Chinese herbal medicines which have kidney tonifying functions can adjust females’ estrogen secretion as well, such as glossy privet fruit, rehmannia glutinosa, medlar, polygonum multiflorum, and more. Spas can also regulate guests’ hormones with herbal tea such as jasmine and roses.
Supplementing Estrogen with Medicine
While 99% of women do not need to take medicine to supplement estrogen, they should unhesitatingly do so if they are diagnosed with premature ovarian failure or a lack of estrogen. Supplementing estrogen is not so risky as most people think. Some say it will induce gynecological cancer, but its probability is equal to that of having a traffic accident. Today, there are a wide variety of estrogen supplementing drugs with high safety. But for sure, they need to be taken correctly under the guidance of a doctor.
No Overdose of Supplements
Low hormonal levels can lead to aging and disease, but it is not the higher the better. Do not be superstitious about business advertising or health products on the hype, and do not buy hormone-containing cosmetics and edible health products blindly, as they are likely to break the balance between the various hormones in the body, thus risking the inducement of breast and ovarian diseases.
Pressure Control and Decompression
Excessive tension, anxiety and sadness can all lead to endocrine disorders. Women who easily lose their temper or become nervous age faster. As a spa operator, you can greatly help your guests balance their hormones by giving them good decompression, and guiding them to foster good lifestyles.
