Chances are, if you are like most people, you are saying to yourself “my hypo-what-amus?”
Your hypothalamus is located deep inside the brain, just above the base of the skull. Its main function is to regulate homeostasis – ie balance of all systems in your body. Sounds kind of important – don’t you think?
Essentially your hypothalamus is a master hormone secretor – and it provides you with human growth hormone, vasopressin, oxytocin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, corticotropin-releasing hormone, and 8 others.
Without proper balance of these hormones you can’t grow, regenerate, repair, have children, have healthy blood sugar/pressure or have a peaceful life!
The hypothalamus is also heavily responsible for the control of your autonomic nervous system – ie every body function you do not have to think about – and thank God for your hypothalamus, as there are hundreds of thousands of systems controlled by your autonomic nervous system – everything from breathing, heart rhythm, digestion, sweating, urinating/defecting etc.
Imagine if you had to voluntarily think about all those system – you literally wouldn’t be Abel to get out of bed b/c one distraction would mean death due to essential organ system failure!
Have a thyroid problem – maybe its your Hypothalamic system (or pituitary for that matter).
Most doctors focus on Thyroid Stimulating Hormone – which is a pituitary hormone, but did you know the pituitary must be stimulated by the hypothalamus with thyrotropin-releasing hormone first!
The hypothalamus is the brain tissue that senses the levels of thyroid hormone in the body and increases or decreases its thyrotropin-releasing hormone secretion accordingly!
Natural Ways To Boost Your Hypothalamus Function
⦁ Structural Specific Chiropractic Care
Specifically Occipital and Atlas correction. It goes without saying that the hypothalamus is a portion of your brain and that it’s involved in regulating your nervous system. Therefore, any therapy that reduces stress on the nerve system will improve hypothalamic function.
Did you know that the spine has the ONLY direct link to the Hypothalamus (and thus hormones) in the entire body – that’s why chiropractic adjustments have such a huge influence on Stress and its effects on your body!
⦁ Chromium Supplementation
Chromium is a trace mineral needed by the body in small amounts for healthy functioning. Several studies have linked chromium with a healthier hypothalamus.
Research suggests that it can help keep the hypothalamus in a more youthful state, better regulate appetite in adults and prevent negative effects on brain neurons caused by aging.
Food sources of chromium include: Grass-Fed Beef, Broccoli, Garlic, Basil, Turkey, Green beans.
⦁ Essential Oil Therapy
Did you know the reason they call these oils “Essential” is because they have therapeutic effects that are essential for health and wellbeing! The following essential oils have been shown to boost hypothalamic function: Mandarin, Patchouli, Frankincense, Bay Rum, and Pine.
Often these are blended into a “hypothalamus blend” which will be MCT oil based. You can simply make one also by putting 3-5 drops of each into 1ml of MCT oil.
It’s best to “sniff” this oil directly as the olfactory nerves in your nose will carry them straight into your brain and hypothalamus.
⦁ Amino Acid Therapy
Amino acids are the building blocks of life – you literally can’t have normal health or brain function without them.
The following amino acids have been shown to elevate hypothalamus function: Serine, isoleucine, cysteine threonine, alanine, valine, proline, ornithine, histidine, methionine, tyrosine, Argentine, glutamine, leucine, taurine, lysine, and phenylalanine.
One of the best sources of these essential amino acids is through your diet by consuming clean proteins (wild caught small fish, pasture raised organic poultry and grass fed/grass finished beef.
You can also get a majority of these through collagen peptide powders.
⦁ Prayer, Meditation and Mindfulness
Through MRI scans, researchers studying the brains of prayers/meditators noticed increased activity in the hypothalamus and pituitary.
By stimulating these glands prayer and meditation increases pleasant thoughts and feelings, decreases aging and even, through stimulation of the hypothalamus directly, increases immune system activity and the function of certain muscles.
It’s time to get your prayer and meditation on!