BrainTrackers Special on Hormones & Brain Health

CORTISOL - stress hormone

* Responsible for responding to stress
* Helps protect you against your environment (allergens)
* Mobilizes energy, improves fatigue
* Increases your appetite for sugar
* Decreases bone mass, muscle mass, and slows down your metabolism

DHEA - the mother hormone

* Improves neurological function
* Increases sense of well being
* Improves immune function
* Improves stress tolerance
* Increases metabolism

ESTROGENS - primary female hormone

* Protects against heart disease, stroke
* Decreases cholesterol
* Lowers incidence of Alzheimer’s
* Improves memory
* Alleviates symptoms of menopause: headaches, mood swings, bloating, hot flashes, fatigue, waning libido

HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE - the growth hormone

* Decreases body fat
* Increases muscle mass
* Improves tissue healing and protein synthesis
* Increases bone density
* Quicker illness recovery
* Increases capacity to exercise
* Increases skin hydration and elasticity
* Improves sense of well being
* Decreases incidence of illness

INSULIN - storage hormone

* Responsible for getting blood sugar into all cells
* Increases fat storage
* Increases risk of diabetes, hypertension and stroke

MELATONIN - sleep hormone

* Responsible for maintaining sleep
* Helps alleviate “jet-lag”
* Improves mood
* Improves the immune system (by decreasing cortisol)

PREGNENELONE - gateway hormone

* Promotes formation of other hormones
* Repairs brain and nerve tissue
* Enhances many brain functions
* Reduces aging skin
* Improves sense of well being
* Increases energy and mobility
* Improves sleep quality
* Reduces harmful stress effects
* Reduces aging brain deficiencies

PROGESTERONE - primary female hormone/pregnancy hormone

* Protects against breast and uterine cancer
* Protects against fibrocystic disease
* Helps fat metabolism
* Helps normalize blood sugar
* Helps reverse osteoporosis
* Helps thyroid hormone function
* Acts as a natural antidepressant
* Protects against nervousness
* Protects against anxiety and irritability

TESTOSTERONE - primary male hormone

* Improves brain function
* Increases energy
* Increases strength
* Increases bone density
* Increases libido
* Improves sexual sensitivity
* Improves sexual function
* Improves HDL and LDL levels
* Improves cardiovascular health

THYROID - metabolism hormone

* Increases energy
* Increases fat burning, and controls weight
* Increases your heart rate
* Increases your appetite
* Aids cognition
* Protects against depression and dementia

More information about BrainTrackers, Hormones and Brain Health at BrainTrackers.com-Neurodevelopment/Brain Mapping

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Books About Hormones and General Health Care

DHEA: A Practical Guide - Ray Sahelian, M.D. ~ New York: Avery Publishing Group, 1996.

Depression & Your Thyroid: What You Need To Know - Gary Ross, M.D., Peter J. Bieling, Ph.D. ~ California: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2006.

The Estrogen Alternative - Raquel Martin & Judi Gerstung ~ Healing Arts Press, 2000.

From Hormone Hell to Hormone Well - C.W. Randolph, Jr., M.D. & Genie James, M.M.Sc. ~ The National Hormone Institute of America, Inc., 2004.

From PMS To Menopause - Ray Peat

Hormone Heresy - Sherrill Sellman ~ Getwell International, 2000.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No? - Betty Kamen, Ph.D. ~ Forrest Publishing, 2005.

The Hormone Solution - Erika Schwartz, M.D. ~ Warner Books, 2002.

The Hormone Solution - Thierry Hertoghe, M.D. ~ Three Rivers Press, 2002.

The Hormone Survival Guide for Perimenopause - Nisha Jackson, Ph.D. ~ Larkfield Publishing, 2004.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Yes or No? - Betty Kamen, Ph.D. ~ Forrest Publishing, 2005.

Hormones, Health, and Happiness - Steven F. Hotze, M.D. ~ Nutrition Encounter, 1996.

Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness - Broda Barnes, M.D./Lawrence Galton ~ Harper & Row, 1976.

Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic - Mark Starr, M.D. ~ New Voice Publications, 2005.

The Miracle of Bio-Identical - Michael E. Platt, M.D. ~Clancy Lane Publishing, 2007.

Miracle of Natural Hormones - David Brownstein, M.D. ~Medical Alternatives Press, 1998.

Natural Hormone Balance for Women: Look Younger, Feel Stronger, and Live Life With Exuberance - Uzzi Reiss, M.D./Martin Zucker ~ Pocket Books, 2001.

Natural Hormone Replacement - Jonathan Wright, M.D./John Morgenthaler ~ Smart Publishing, 1995.

Natural Progesterone - John Lee, M.D. ~ B.L.L. Publications, 1997.

Overcoming Thyroid Disorders - David Brownstein, M.D. ~ Medical Alternatives Press, 2002.

The Perfect Menopause - Henry Hess, M.D., Ph.D. ~ Westfall Park Publishing Group, 2008.

Progesterone In Orthomolecular Medicine - Ray Peat

Safe Estrogen: Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk By 90% - Dr. Edward J. Conley ~ Vitality Press, 2003

Safe Uses of Cortisol (3rd Edition) - William Jefferies, M.D. ~ Thomas Books, 1981.

The Superhormone Promise - William Regelson, M.D. & Carol Colman ~ Pocket, 1997.

The Testosterone Syndrome - Eugene Shippen, M.D./William Fryer ~ New York: M. Evans and Co., Inc., 1998.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause - John Lee, M.D./Virginia Hopkins ~ New York: Warner Books, 1996.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause - John Lee, M.D. ~ New York: Warner Books, 1999.

The Wisdom of Menopause - Christiane Northrup, M.D. ~ Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing, 2001.

Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing - Christiane Northrup, M.D. ~ Bantam Books, 1994.

Written and edited by author Ginger Marin for BrainTrackers.com