Naturopathic Treatments For Endocrine Health
Your endocrine system may not get as much attention as other parts of your body, but it’s absolutely critical for optimal health.
Because your endocrine system is made up of so many different organs and glands, it needs to stay in balance. If it isn’t, it can lead to a variety of different health concerns.
If you’re having endocrine troubles, Dr. Pat can help.
As a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Pat Nardini has a special interest in endocrine health.
His natural solutions are designed to bring your endocrine system back into balance, which may help relieve some of your health concerns.
What Is The Endocrine System?
Your endocrine system is made up of an assortment of organs and glands throughout your body. They all have in common the fact that they secrete hormones directly into your bloodstream.
Their counterparts are found in your exocrine system, which is made up of glands and hormones that secrete their products into the various ducts of your body. This includes your sweat, mammary, and salivary glands, among others.
The organs that make up your endocrine system include your:
- Thyroid
- Parathyroid
- Adrenal glands
- Pineal gland
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary gland
- Pancreas
- Ovaries/testes
Why Is My Endocrine System So Important?
The various parts of your endocrine system secrete hormones into your bloodstream. This is how the various parts of your body communicate with each other.
Each gland secretes its own hormones, and each has a different job to do. Some of the responsibilities of your endocrine system include managing your:
- Appetite
- Digestion
- Stress management
- Sexual health
- Sleep
- Metabolism
- Body temperature
- Growth
- Blood sugar
- Brain development
- Calcium levels
- Immune system
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
As you can see, if the above factors are out of balance, it can create significant difficulties.
What Sort Of Conditions Can Affect My Endocrine System?
There are a number of different conditions that can affect your endocrine system. Some of the more well-known conditions are as follows.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disorder where your blood glucose is too high, and your body can’t bring it down to healthy levels on its own.
With diabetes, your pancreas either cannot produce insulin (type 1), or it cannot make or use it well (type 2). Type 2 diabetes is the most common. There are other forms of diabetes as well, including gestational diabetes which shows up during pregnancy.
Because the pancreas is part of your endocrine system, and insulin is a hormone, diabetes is considered an endocrine disorder.
The only effective treatment for type 1 diabetes is insulin. However, there are naturopathic solutions for all types of diabetes which may help you manage your condition better.
Thyroid Disorders
Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck, in front of your windpipe. There are a number of disorders which can affect your thyroid. So many, in fact, that Dr. Pat has created separate pages just for thyroid disorders.
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue is a complex disorder with a number of different causes.
It isn’t specifically an endocrine disorder, but it can be a symptom of a number of endocrine disorders. This is because of your endocrine system’s role in regulating your sleep and energy levels.
Adrenal Fatigue
Your adrenal glands regulate your stress response, heartbeat, blood pressure, and certain minerals. If you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue, your adrenals aren’t functioning at the level they should.
If you’re suffering from low energy levels, but you’re otherwise healthy, it may be a result of adrenal fatigue.
Low Sex Drive
If you’re dealing with low sex drive, it can be a frustrating experience for both you and your sexual partners.
When there’s an imbalance in your endocrine system, it can cause your body to function sluggishly. This can lead to, among other things, infertility, erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, and other sexual health disorders.
Chronic Stress
Your adrenal glands regulate, among other things, your body’s ability to manage stress. As a result, you may be facing a fairly run-of-the-mill stressful issue, but an adrenal imbalance may hold back your ability to manage that stress.
Symptoms Of Endocrine Disorders
As you can see, there are a number of endocrine disorders which may affect you.
Depending on what condition you’re dealing with, you may feel one or more of the following symptoms:
- Unexplained weight gain
- Unexplained weight loss
- Chronic fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability or nervousness
- Decreased ability to manage stress
- A puffy face
- Dry skin
- A growth on the front of your neck (goiter)
- Sweatiness, especially on your palms
- Temperature sensitivity
- High or low heart rate
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Aches and pains in your muscles and joints
- Decreased sex drive
- Thinning or brittle hair
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Increased appetite
- Vision problems
Get Natural Solutions For Better Endocrine Health
If you relate to the above symptoms, Dr. Pat can help.
The first step is to uncover what it is that’s causing your endocrine issues. There are a number of factors which may cause your endocrine disorder. Dr. Pat will work to uncover what yours is.
From there, he’ll offer you a treatment plan uniquely designed to meet your needs. The goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the root cause of your health concerns. That way, rather than just masking the symptoms, you can work toward being rid of your health issues, for good.
Book an appointment with Dr. Pat today to get to the bottom of your symptoms and take your first step on the road to optimal health.