My most vivid memory of human anatomy during my freshmen years was the diagram of the endocrine system and the funny name of its main navigator – the hypothalamus. I had a hard time memorizing this word, so every time I had to talk about systemic processes in Biology class, I would associate the word with a giant “hippo” emerging from the water and bursting fountains of energy from its nostrils. Well, the hypothalamus is not exactly shaped in the form of a hippopotamus, but somehow it reminded me of the pivotal role and function that this main gland plays on our total organ health. Associated with the midbrain this cone shaped gland is actually the fountain of knowledge from where the whole body get steered and nurtured. It is the powerhouse of our brain that navigates us from a mode of survival to a state of omniscience.Every time we do a headstand we not only reverse the flow of gravity, but also stimulate good old “hippo” to bathe the body in health-inducing hormones and elicit our sense of psychic reset. Every time we twist we not only detoxify the liver and the spleen, but we also nurture the adrenal glands to secrete the reward triggering hormone dopamine or stimulate the pancreatic gland to secrete insulin and regulate blood sugar levels. Every time we contract we massage the gonads and regulate the happy secretion of reproductive hormones. Every time we arch back we activate the confidence booster serotonin and boost the immune resources. Every time we bend over we elicit the relaxation response and catalyze the production of sleep-inducing melatonin. Every time we take a shoulder stand we nurture the thyroid and parathyroid glands and regulate the metabolic processes.

All these actions and functions are meticulously governed by “hypo” – our mastermind. Part of the endocrine system, this gland is practically in control of every organ in the body, in one way or the other. One of the most important hypothalamus gland functions, is how it forms the link between the nervous system and the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. It is the emotional center, controlling molecules conducing to feelings of anger, sorrow, joy and exhilaration. It controls the feelings of hunger, appetite, comfort, creativity, satisfaction, etc. and is also responsible for regulation of the sleep-wake cycle and food-water intake. Moreover, the nerve cells in the hypothalamus produce neural-hormones (hypothalamic-releasing hormones) that either suppress or stimulate the secretions from the pituitary gland, thereby controlling the master gland of the brain. It stimulates the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, into the bloodstream or even inhibit its secretion.

Every coherent emotional response is the product of a healthy hypothalamus. Approaching a reward triggers dopamine. Dopamine alerts our attention to things that meet our needs. It motivates us to seek, whether we are seeking an academic degree or a parking spot. When we feel respected by others our brain releases serotonin and reminds us not to dismiss our natural surge for status and the ability to develop our belief in our own worth. Trust and healthy attachment triggers oxytocin. As the hormone of “love” it showers the body with life-affirming vibrations, when not converted into painful hypersensitivity. Endorphins block pain, but they also bring the feeling of pleasure. When the hypothalamus is healthy it triggers these happy chemicals to waltz together and bring the body to a wholesome state of hormonal balance.

Why, when the body is so perfectly orchestrated, do we have to suffer from endocrine disorders resulting in weight gain, low immunity, nervous system breakdown, depression, hypertension, and many others?

Probably, because we live in a culture that has little regard for “self nurturing.” Many of us continue to travel at a velocity that is completely out of rhythm with who we are. Unfortunately, people of all ages speed along life’s highway with little regard for the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of their daily choices. They are multi-tasking to the point of burnout–working long hours, skipping meals, not getting enough sleep, drinking too much caffeine and taking too little time for themselves.

Years of “doing” has left them energetically, spiritually and emotionally depleted and out of balance. In terms of Chinese Medicine, many of these folks are yin deficient. In other words, years of constant “doing” (yang in nature) has left the essence of their “being” depleted-manifesting as disease and hormonal imbalance. We don’t suddenly wake up one day with fibroids, endometriosis, night sweats, insomnia, Type 2 Diabetes, obesity and various cancers. Our hormones are molecules that serve as messengers to several hundred trillion cells in our body.

Chronic stress, elevated insulin levels, blood sugar issues, and poor nutrition are a few of the factors compromising people’s hormonal health today. Like sugar, constant, low-grade stress can set off a negative chain of events in the body. Stress robs the body of various nutrients, and the average, present-day diet does not compensate for that loss. Without proper nutrition, the body — especially the gut — starts to break down. Research has shown that 80% of our immune response is determined by the integrity of our gut, leading to impaired intestinal function that is likely to trigger frequent lingering colds, possible weight gain, hormonal imbalances such as estrogen dominance and accelerated cellular aging that can potentially lead to cancer. All disease comes from metabolic imbalances. When the underlying metabolic imbalance is corrected the disease goes away…. This is literally called preventive medicine, or figuratively “navigation reset.”

We don’t need a GPS Navigator to map our course to achieving optimal hormonal balance. We all possess this “navigation reset” button to jumpstart our system, and it includes tending to a healthy diet, eliminating stress and worry from our everyday life, adopting a positive mind frame, communing with nature, and most importantly, creating a healthy yoga asana and meditation regimen that would keep us radiant and aligned. The reset button will switch us from “doing” to “being” mode and bring us joy and fulfillment. And through those helpful inversions, twists, back and forward bends you will keep your hypothalamus strong and formidable as a “hippo”…