Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you even know where it is, but do you have any idea what your pituitary gland does or why it matters? We spend a lot of time in this forum talking about hormonal health and balancing so we would be completely remiss not to dive into the pituitary gland and offer a holistic health perspective on pituitary functions and wellbeing.
The best way to think of pituitary health is to put it into the context of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis since pituitary disorders on their own are relatively rare and because the pituitary gland takes its orders from the hypothalamus, which is considered the “Chief Executive Officer” (CEO) of your entire system, and passes them along to other organs and glands.
The pituitary gland releases hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, reproduction, the stress response, lactation, water metabolism, labor and childbirth. Without the appropriate signal from the pituitary gland, other endocrine glands, such as the adrenals, the thyroid, the ovaries and the testes would not receive or release their own hormones, which are essential to human survival and reproduction.
Instead of wading through the vegetable soup of these hormones, let’s focus on why healthy hormonal signaling and release to and from the pituitary gland matters.
A Superhighway of Stress?
The pituitary sits on a communication superhighway between your brain, your nervous system and your endocrine system. Here, messages and hormones travel from the brain and nervous system and out into the vast network that is your body. A disruption in traffic, be it a bottleneck at the hypothalamus-pituitary junction or a crash at the intersection between the pituitary and the adrenals can cause major delays and even shut down roads – or, in this case, hormone production and pathways.
No matter the type of hormonal traffic jam, the root cause is almost always chronic stress, which can cause the body to flood with cortisol (signaled by hormones in the hypothalamus, then the pituitary, and ultimately produced by the adrenals). This response can alter mood, deplete energy, slow metabolism, trigger inflammation, decrease fertility and compromise immunity. Chronic fatigue syndrome is often seen in almost all cases of HPA malfunction.
Stress Isn’t Always Your Fault
It would be easy to say “just reduce stress” to help keep all major arteries of the HPA Axis open and flowing. But, as you probably know, managing stress isn’t always easy and the causes of stress don’t necessarily just go away. In one study, 50 percent of participants experiencing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome due to HPA Axis dysfunction also reported a history of childhood trauma. Another study found that HPA Axis dysfunction alone was far more likely in those who suffered childhood versus adult trauma.
As anyone who has ever suffered any form of trauma, complex trauma, or PTSD can probably tell you, making the “triggers” go away is much harder than simply meditating for 10 minutes a day or taking a walk. But, those things can help, at least in the moment. For other stress reduction recommendations, read our articles on Harnessing Your Energy, True Rest, Tending to Your Thyroid, Addressing the Adrenals with Ayurveda and Befriending Stress.
Either way, there is no question that prolonged or excessive alterations to the nervous system will lead to an unregulated stress response and compromised health and wellbeing. Your best approach to learning to manage stress – especially trauma-induced stress – is to work with a practitioner who can help guide you on a path that works for you.
Nutrition Matters
Oxidative stress and a decrease in antioxidant capacity, leading to inflammation, can also disrupt HPA axis function as inflammation is a trigger for excess cortisol production. We offer loads of recommendations to help reduce inflammation, but I want to offer that, in addition to stress reduction and trauma healing, what you eat may be the cornerstone of HPA Axis health.
We know that there are some foods that are singularly indicated to help reduce inflammation and improve overall health. As an example, wild blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and revered for their role in brain health. In fact, eating one cup of blueberries everyday can significantly reduce oxidative stress and improve brain function and cognition.
We agree with these recommendations and, as Clinical Ayurvedic Practitioners, like to take them a step further and offer an energetic perspective through which to view brain, nervous system and hormonal health.
Ayurveda views all living matter through the lens of the elements. If there is too much stress, compromised immunity, inflammation and poor hormonal health, a person is probably suffering from an excess of air, ether and fire – or vata and pitta doshas. Therefore, the entire system needs to be nourished and restored with the opposing qualities of healthy earth and water, which provide stability, grounding, lubrication, restoration and growth.
- Foods that exacerbate air and ether include anything that creates cold, light, mobile or dry conditions in the body. This would include cold, raw fruits and vegetables, airy popcorn, caffeine, processed sugars, dry bread or crackers as well as processed foods, canned foods and other foods lacking prana, or “life force”.
- Foods that exacerbate fire include hot, spicy, acidic, overly-fermented foods and processed or old foods that produce high levels of oxidative stress leading to inflammation.
- Foods that enhance the qualities of healthy earth and water include freshly cooked whole foods; root vegetables; juicy fruits; whole grains; high-quality proteins from meat, legumes, nuts and seeds; minimally-processed oils and high-quality dairy. Try our Easy Vegetable Grain Bowl!
Modern nutrition science also agrees with these principles and recognizes that high quality and minimally-processed fats such as ghee, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado and nuts help to boost hormonal production and provide healthy cholesterol levels that support optimal brain function.
The good news is that the foods that help you repair your HPA Axis function also help to restore an overactive nervous system, in addition to helping you to build healthy bodily tissue, reduce unhealthy fat and improve your gut health and neurotransmitter activity between your stomach and your brain.
So, if the question is: “Should I eat wild blueberries to decrease oxidative stress and improve brain health?” The answer is a resounding “Yes!…but never cold or frozen AND you should increase other foods in your diet that also help to build healthy tissue, lubricate the joints, stabilize hormones, strengthen the nerves, and ground your energy.
Why Adaptogens?
There are a lot of “health hacks” out there that promise to help you feel better or look better with one little pill or energy drink. Certainly, many of these products can have seemingly positive short term effects, which is what motivates consumers to keep coming back (short-term dopamine hits can be very addictive). Without judgment on anyone’s lifestyle choices, we do feel the need to caution against most of these.
Because fatigue and chronic fatigue are so common in almost all cases of endocrine imbalance, including HPA Axis dysfunction, there can be a tendency to reach for anything that offers short term energy or relief from exhaustion. For many, caffeine and sugar offer the quickest remedy. But, how do you feel after? Does your energy consistently improve over time, or are you constantly playing catch up? From an Ayurvedic and an integrative nutrition perspective, caffeine and sugar do not help you to build stronger, healthier tissues in the body or to restore healthy brain function.
Instead, if you are constantly chasing an energy crash and you notice that you aren’t getting healthier over time using these substances, you may want to consider adaptogens, in addition to the nutrition and lifestyle recommendations above.
Adaptogens are natural substances (usually herbs or food) that adapt to your body’s energy needs: they help to calm you down or give you sustainable energy overtime. Ayurvedic herbal adaptogens include amalaki, ashwagandha, brahmi bacopa, brahmi gotu kola, gokshura and tulsi. When combined with appropriate nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, adaptogens can be a game-changer.
While there are many herbal adaptogen products on the market – and these can be a great place to start, especially if you’re looking for a coffee substitute – the best adaptogen formula is one that is custom-tailored to your needs and reviewed by a practitioner who can ensure that none of the ingredients in the formula interfere with any of your current medications or health conditions and can make sure you are taking a proper dosage for your needs.
When it comes to HPA Axis health, an integrative approach that combines modern science and ancient wisdom is your best defense. Want to chat more about the HPA Axis or endocrine health? Reach out to us today to schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation.
Article authored by Kirsten Ahern, Founder of Path Wellbeing, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) Health Coach, Wellbeing Advocate, E-RYT 200 and RYT 500, Meditation, Mindfulness and Spiritual Wellbeing Coach.
The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and should not replace the direct advice of a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult a medical or other professional healthcare provider when considering a new health regime.
