In the following brief blog, Marla Ahlgrimm answers questions about hormones and how they play a role in our mood.

Q: What are hormones?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Hormones are best thought of as chemical messengers. They are released by different glands and travel through the blood telling our brain and body how to feel, how to react, and how to grow.

Q: Are hormones responsible for moodiness during a woman’s menstrual cycle?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Absolutely. Women’s hormones are a fickle beast, and the majority of women of childbearing age experience fluctuating hormones at least once each month. Although PMS is not fully understood, rising, dropping, and shifting hormones are at least, in part, responsible for triggering moodiness about a week before a woman starts her period.

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Turkey is a staple of holiday meals. Between November and December, Americans consume more turkey than any other time of the year. And many people claim that their bite of bird puts them right to sleep. This might not be true, however, says Marla Ahlgrimm.

Q: What is it about turkey that makes people believe that it is a natural sleep aid?

Marla Ahlgrimm: It’s the tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid – one of nearly two dozen that occur actually. An amino acid is a basic component of protein. It is found in many meats, not just turkey. Many people mistakenly believes that the tryptophan in turkey immediately triggers their brain to tell their body it’s time for sleep.

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Marla Ahlgrimm has impacted hundreds of thousands of women’s lives with her work in hormone replacement therapy. One area where HRT has made such an impact is in bone health, particularly in postmenopausal women, who are at a greater risk of osteoporosis. She says that, unfortunately, many people do not fully understand their bones, which may contribute to the fact that more than 8 million American women have osteoporosis.

With this in mind, Marla Ahlgrimm presents a few common myths about the bone.

Myth: Osteoporosis is only for older women. I don’t need to worry.

Absolutely untrue, says Marla Ahlgrimm. To date, around 54 million Americans – 20 percent of these men – have low bone density. Although children and teenagers are usually not diagnosed, what kids do during these years can affect their risk later on. Most doctors recommend being physically active throughout the toddler to teen years, and then continuing to live a healthy lifestyle into adulthood.

Myth: Osteoporosis is not a serious disease.

While it’s true that osteoporosis in itself is not fatal, Marla Ahlgrimm stresses that it is a serious condition. Broken bones are painful, and, when unable to heal correctly, can cause lifelong discomfort. This can take a toll on a person’s physical and mental health throughout their lifetime.

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Contrary to popular belief, heart disease is not a man-only affliction. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, women are also at risk of illness and death due to the condition. But, many instances of heart disease may be prevented, and there are a few things women can do to reduce their risk. Ahlgrimm answers a few common questions about this below.

Q: Is it true that a heart-healthy diet is completely void of salt?

Marla Ahlgrimm: In the world we live in, it is almost impossible to avoid salt in some form. However, choose foods that have low sodium content and you may lessen your risk of hypertension and heart disease. You’ll also want to watch the amount of trans fat and sugar that you consume. A good rule of thumb is to avoid any foods that come from a box or that have been cured with salt. Anything with a long shelf life likely contains tons of added sodium. It’s best to stick with fresh foods and season with spices that don’t have extra salt.

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In part four in a multi-channel series of health tips, Marla Ahlgrimm explains the benefits of tinted light and why you should never overcook your meat.

Watch the grill.

Everybody loves a freshly grilled steak. Marla Ahlgrimm says that meat can safely be added to a diet, and provides lots of nutrients and protein. However, while a few grill marks might be desirable, burnt meat may actually release carcinogenic compounds so watch the heat.

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Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is, according to Marla Ahlgrimm, a common steroid hormone. It is available in creams and oral supplements. As evidenced by some studies, DHEA is useful in treating or preventing a number of potential health problems. Keep reading as Ahlgrimm opens up on this difficult-to-pronounce but potentially beneficial supplement.

Q: Is DHEA made by the body?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Yes, it is produced in the adrenal glands. Unfortunately, the synthetic form, which is widely available over-the-counter, is produced from a compound found in yams and soy. This may have very few health benefits. Bioidentical DHEA, however, might.

Q: What does DHEA do?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Men and women each have DHEA in their bodies. In part, it’s converted into the male and female sex hormones, testosterone and estrogen respectively. It is reasoned that people with low levels of DHEA may be more at risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions. This is because many people with these health concerns have markedly low levels of the hormone.

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