Endocrine Care

The endocrine system consists of a network of numerous, specialized glands that produce and release hormones which help to control and influence many important body functions, and this includes the proper digestion of food to convert calories into energy.  This is ‘fuel’ for our body cells and organs.

Glands of the Endocrine System  

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The endocrine system consists of the pituitary gland, thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal glands and specialized cells in the pancreas, also known as islets of Langerhans, duodenum, kidneys and gonads. 

Each gland produces and releases specific hormones into your bloodstream. These hormones travel through our blood to other cells and help control or coordinate many body processes.

Why is our endocrine system is important to our health?

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The endocrine system affects: 

• how rapid or slow your heart beats; 

• how your bones and tissues grow to be strong or fragile, and 

• how fertile you are (your ability to make a baby).

It also plays a vital role in whether or not you may have a higher risk of developing diabetes, thyroid disease, growth disorders, sexual dysfunction, and other hormone-related disorders.

Western and Oriental Perspectives on Health 

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These are different schools of thoughts on the health concerns and treatment plans, with the intentions of helping to improve patients’ health. 

Conventional medicine treats endocrine disorders with a wide variety of medications, surgery, radiation and other treatments.  The disorders are viewed as hormonal imbalances. 

From Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach, endocrine disorders are viewed as imbalance of hormones, and a combination of dietary and energy imbalances that can be improved with proper nutrition and other lifestyle changes. 

Symptoms of endocrine disorders

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• Rapid weight loss or gain;

• Increase or decrease metabolism (including heart rate, blood pressure, nervousness, sensitivity to temperature and pressure, excessive or very little perspiration and emotionally sensitive);

• Muscle weakness;

• Tingling, numbness or tremors; 

• Rapid growth or cessation of growth;

• Tenderness in the glands of the neck;

• Bulging eyes;

• Abnormal blood pressure (too high or low);

• Fluctuations in blood sugar levels;

• Abnormal sexual characteristics (like hair quality, muscle development, skin texture and thickness, and voice quality).

Causes of Endocrine Disorders

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Endocrine disorders are typically grouped into two categories:

1. when an endocrine gland produces excessive or insufficient of an endocrine hormone, also known as hormone imbalance;

1. the development of lesions (such as nodules or tumors) in the endocrine system, which may or may not affect hormone levels.

The endocrine's feedback system helps control the balance of hormones in the bloodstream.  If your body has too much or too little of a certain hormone, the feedback system signals the proper gland or glands to rectify the problem. 

A hormone imbalance may take place if this feedback system has trouble keeping the right level of hormones in the bloodstream, or if your body is incapable to eliminate them out of the bloodstream effectively.

Increased or decreased levels of endocrine hormone may be caused by:

• A problem with the endocrine feedback system;

• Current occurring disease;

• Failure of a gland to stimulate another gland to release hormones; 

• A genetic disorder;

• Infections;

• Injury or damage to an endocrine gland; and,

• Tumor in an endocrine gland.

Most endocrine tumors and nodules (lumps) are noncancerous. They usually do not spread to other parts of the body. However, a tumor or nodule on the gland may interfere with the gland's hormone production.

Suggested dietary changes from the Oriental perspectives

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Endocrine glands are small, dense and compact structures.  Thus, they are classified as yang, according to TCM theories.  These glands are easily damaged by excessive intake of meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, and other animal foods, along with over intake of salt, hard baked flour products, and other strong yang items.  

Endocrine glands also attract extreme yin in the form of metabolic energy from overconsumption of sugar, chocolate, honey, and other refined sweeteners, polished (processed) grains, fruits and juices, spices, stimulants, alcohol and drugs.

Extreme foods of all types ought to be avoided and a more centrally balanced way of eating should be used.

Endocrine disorders are generally grouped into 2 major types:  

• hypo-secretion, means there is not enough of a particular hormone is secreted; and, 

• hyper-secretion, refers to excessive amount of a hormone being secreted.

Hypo-secretion of a yin hormone produces an overly yang condition, and vice versa. 

Hyper-secretion of a yin hormone produces an overly yin condition, and vice versa.

Rapha Health, Nutrition & Wellness - Holistic Endocrine Care Programme 

This is a holistic programme that aims at helping people to improve your quality of life and promote long-term health by beginning with efforts to strengthen your health with a holistic mind, body and soul/spirit approach.  

Besides healthier dietary changes to include more of plant-based and less of animal-based diet, it is recommended to choose to have a closure to old wounds, coming to terms with underlying and perhaps unspoken issues like anxiety or panic attacks, and removal of old self of being overly-competitive, perfectionist, and over-controlling of self and others, to bring an overall improvement to your health.  

When you intentionally make healthy and positive changes a priority in your lives, you give yourself a chance to be healed and restored with love, peace and joy.  Give this a try and discover a healthier you!  

Contact me, let me help you in your journey to better health.