Vacation is a novel idea for many Americans, says women’s health expert Marla Ahlgrimm. However, taking time off is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your health, and your career.

Vacationing is not simply a way to get away from the grind of your work week. It is a time to relax, unwind, and connect with the things – and people – that are important to you. Spending a short amount of time away from your everyday life can help you mentally reboot and tackle your responsibilities with a fresh set of eyes and clear head.

From a health standpoint, vacationing is also an opportunity to work on your physical fitness. Many vacations require walking, hiking, swimming, or other exercises that you may not do in a typical day. It’s a time to give your body all the things it normally doesn’t receive, says Marla Ahlgrimm.

It may be difficult to step away for a week, but doing so will have a positive impact on your career, too. Marla Ahlgrimm asserts that there are many ways leaving the office can actually benefit you. First, it gives your employees and coworkers an opportunity to handle problems that you would normally undertake. This may, in the end, relieve some of your professional burdens and work-related stress. Further, Marla Ahlgrimm says, leaving work lets you shift your thought processes temporarily. This will give you a chance to look at your work without the tunnel vision that you’ve no doubt become accustomed to.

There is no right way or wrong way to vacation. Marla Ahlgrimm explains that any outing that gives you a change of scenery can have long-lasting positive benefits.

A few vacations that Marla Ahlgrimm enjoys include camping, hiking, and simply lounging around at the lake or beach.

The endocrine system is tasked with keeping our hormones in check. However, there are a few hormones that everyone can control. Here, Marla Ahlgrimm takes a look at four of these.

Epinephrine

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, epinephrine is best known as the “fight-or-flight” hormone.  You may know it by its common name, adrenaline. Epinephrine/adrenaline is released in response to danger. For example, you are driving down the road when an oncoming vehicle suddenly swerves into your lane. They correct their position and you continue driving unharmed. But your heart is racing, your body tingling, and you experience a surge of energy and heightened awareness of the road around you. This is epinephrine at work. Controlled breathing is the best way to regulate secretion of this hormone and help you regain control of your body.

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Thanks to modern medicine, we understand how the endocrine system works, says Marla Ahlgrimm. We know that the brain stimulates the production of different hormones in response to physical and emotional situations. For example, we know that menopause is triggered by a reduction in the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone and that PMS is also controlled by hormones. But it wasn’t always that way. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that doctors started to seriously consider that something other than God controlled the human body.

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, in 1848 Dr. Arnold Berthold performed what many consider the first scientific experiment relating to hormones. In this simple study, the good doctor castrated a pair of roosters. Soon, their bright red combs, a sign of fertility in the species, became faded and dull.

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Honey isn’t just a sweet treat. According to women’s health expert Marla Ahlgrimm, the naturally delicious semi-liquid has a number of health and beauty benefits. Here are just a few:

Honey is moisturizing

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, women with excessively dry but sensitive skin may wish to look at honey as a facial moisturizer. The retired pharmacist explains that the sugars in the sticky syrup are natural humectants that can actually boost the skin’s water content, even after being washed away. As an added bonus, honey enzymes will gently exfoliate skin.

Honey fades scars and may help heal certain types of wounds

Honey was used by Native Americans to help warriors injured in battle or while hunting. It is a natural antioxidant that Marla Ahlgrimm claims may even reduce scarring. Honey, when applied to a skin abrasion, can reduce the chances of infection if used prior to bandaging. Simply add a dab to the wound, rinse, and wrap.

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When you think of a hormone imbalance, you likely think about moodiness and acne. However, according to HRT specialist and retired pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm, there are a number of issues that can arise that you would never link to your endocrine system.

Weird symptom #1: Excessive hunger

According to Marla Ahlgrimm, hormones are responsible for the ravenous cravings you may feel just before your period. But they can also make you hungry at other times if they are out of balance. Hormone imbalance caused by adrenal dysregulation can tell your brain that you need a salty or sweet snack pretty much every minute of the day.

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