Many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) coincide with other conditions, allowing hypothyroidism to go undetected for quite some time. Changes in the menstrual cycle, constipation, depression, dry skin, hair loss, fatigue, and difficulty losing weight could be attributed to everything from menopause to normal aging. However, with the rates of thyroid disorders rising in recent decades, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), any potential thyroid symptoms should not be ignored. Left untreated, thyroid disorder increases the risk of certain serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and infertility.

Anyone who has ever had a full-blown attack of acid reflux disease (otherwise known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) knows that it can be seriously debilitating. Unfortunately, it’s a common problem—more than 15 million people are thought to suffer from acid reflux, and they keep the market for antacids booming.

It’s common knowledge that at or near middle age, all women experience a process called menopause, where their hormone production slows, their ovaries eventually stop producing eggs, and they stop menstruating. This process comes with a wide variety of side effects, including weight fluctuation, mood swings, and decreased libido, among others.

The traditional medicine view of neurodegeneration (the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons) has been that it is irreversible and that adults cannot grow back lost or damaged neurons. However, more and more research is showing that this is not true, and experts in the field of functional and integrative medicine have been making leaps and bounds in methods to prevent and even reverse cognitive decline.

Fewer hours of sleep are proven to make you hungrier, yet hormonal issues can prevent you from catching enough Z’s no matter how hard you try.

If you’re trying to slim down after indulging over this winter, you may need to focus on something that seems a bit counterintuitive: catching up on your sleep. It’s true—longer and better-quality sleep may help your weight loss efforts in the new year as much as hitting the gym.

Almost everyone has experienced at least one splitting headache in their lifetime. Headaches can take many forms, from tension headaches to migraines. Whether they are short in duration or chronic, mild or severe, headaches can be very disruptive to daily life. Depending on the type of headache, there may be multiple causes, but stress, genetics, and imbalanced hormones levels are some of the most common culprits, aside from sinus and allergy headaches. While the cause of headaches cannot always be controlled, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy offers promising solutions for treating headaches in both men and women.

If you want to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke—two leading causes of mortality in the US—there is research showing that you may have to look no further than your meditation mat. A study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that when African American patients with heart disease practiced transcendental meditation twice a day, they dramatically reduced their risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from all causes when compared to the control group, who simply received education about heart-friendly diet and exercise. In fact, the meditation group was 48 percent less likely to experience these events.

Most women are familiar with one of the major symptoms of menopause, hot flashes, in which normal body temperature rises and an intense feeling of heat suddenly flushes over the body. Hot flashes are usually accompanied by a red, flushed face and heavy sweating. Hot flashes at night are common, and can include night sweats. However, many women are not aware that there are varied types of hot flashes, and that they may even last beyond menopause!

Hormones perform countless essential tasks in your body—they regulate your immune system, help you digest and extract nutrients from food, regulate your mood, and keep your energy levels high and your libido strong. Maintaining adequate hormone levels is critical, not only for your long-term health, but also for your day-to-day functioning. Hormonal imbalances and deficiencies can quickly cascade into a multitude of problematic symptoms and even major health issues. And when it comes to keeping your hormones in balance, what you eat can make all the difference.

In 2016, a study published in the journal Diabetes Care offered new hope to men with type 2 diabetes. It found that six months of testosterone therapy significantly reduced insulin and glucose levels in men with type 2 diabetes who were also testosterone deficient. The therapy also reduced the men’s body fat by an average of nearly seven pounds, increased their muscle mass, improved their sexual function, and lowered their C-reactive protein levels, a blood marker of inflammation that has been linked to cardiovascular disease risk.