This article is the second in a series authored by the health professionals of the ASEA Medical Professionals Board and the ASEA Science Council. Today, Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., MS, CNS, continues her message on hormone balance.
In my last article which you can read here, I talked about hormones being highly specialized chemical messengers that control the activities of cells and organs throughout the body. They influence virtually everything we think, feel, and do on a minute-to-minute basis, right down to the cellular level. In this article, I plan to discuss in greater detail how the protein hormone glucagon works as a counterbalance to insulin.
What insulin tells the body to put away in storage, glucagon tells the body to put back into use. The two hormones do not conflict with one another in the bloodstream, but rather coordinate with each other to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Experts have found that both protein-rich foods and exercise can induce the calorie deficit process, which can also include the release of fat from adipose tissue that is then burned as fuel.
Fats Acting Like Proteins
As we learned in our last article, Omega 3 fats act as potent blood sugar stabilizers similar to protein, which discourage excessive carbohydrate consumption and, therefore, enhance glucagon production.
In addition to their role in the balance of insulin and glucagon, the right kinds of fats are also essential for eicosanoids, natural hormones with incredibly short lifespans (a few seconds or less) secreted by the body to control certain bodily functions. Essential fatty acids in our diet provide the necessary materials for building eicosanoids, but comparatively little else is known about the eicosanoid-creation process since their fleeting existences make them extremely difficult to study.
But we have reason to suspect eicosanoids play a large role in human biology. Some authorities claim that eicosanoids control just about all hormones and every bodily function, and they are known to be affected by the nutrients we absorb from food. These nutrients include good fats in your diet—especially those from the omega family—and guarantee an array of health and weight-management benefits.
Besides being necessary companions for weight control, these fats produce long-term appetite satisfaction, which leads to eating less and being less tempted to overindulge. Quite simply, the fats from the omega family regulate metabolic processes down to the atomic level, helping the cardiovascular, immune, reproductive, and central nervous systems.
Remarkable Omegas
The remarkable omegas have also been shown to soothe skin, promote health, and regulate water loss. Their anti-inflammatory properties help in other ways. And since the body doesn’t store the good fats, we have to consume sufficient amounts of omega fatty acids daily to ensure their production.
For those who aren’t fond of fatty fish, seeds, or nuts, taking an omega supplement (like ASEA® VIA™ Omega) is the ticket. Do keep in mind that eicosanoids are generally divided into “good” and “bad” categories, just like the different kinds of cholesterol. Please note that these words are placed in quotation marks because neither type of eicosanoids is either good or bad in itself. Our bodies need both categories to be healthy, and the most important thing is that both categories should be—you guessed it—in a state of balance. From a nutritional perspective, the “bad” eicosanoids tend to increase on a high-carbohydrate diet, with undesirable results in our bodies.
In addition to accounting for hormones like insulin, glucagon, and eicosanoids, the topic of hormones can further expand to include the impact of today’s toxic environment, how men and women differ in their hormonal needs, and what role other dietary supplements may play when it comes to hormonal needs. In this ongoing series, these topics will be covered in the subsequent article for next week.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Unless otherwise noted, the author of this article are associated with ASEA and may have received compensation through the receipt of material goods or remuneration.
