Are hormones to blame for your stomach problems? Before an answer to this question can be reached, go ahead and answer these quick questions: Have you been feeling a bit off lately? Are you moody? Do you feel less connected and loving with yourself and/or anyone around you?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, your body might just be trying to tell you that your hormones have gone wonky. Hormones are the balancers and regulators of our bodies. When our hormones aren’t in equilibrium, our bodies simply don’t function correctly and this may lead to some unpleasant side effects. Hormonal imbalances can drastically affect our daily lives and may decide if we experience a plethora of symptoms 
like depression, loss or lack of energy, low mental clarity, headaches, loss of libido, mood swings and especially digestion issues.
The scientific community has long established that gut hormones have a major role in many of our body’s functions. And the stomach is the body’s largest hormone-producing organ, excreting more than 20 different hormone types.
Digestive hormones like ghrelin, gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin (CCK), peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) work in association with the stomach’s extensive nervous system and play a coordinating role in the control of appetite, the digestion of food, the regulation of energy balance and the maintenance of blood glucose levels.
What we consume can have an enormous impact on our hormone levels. Coffee and alcoholic drinks can cause abnormalities in the secretions from your endocrine system, which controls your body’s hormone output. Dairy and meat consumption could also impact the efficiency of this vital system because of additives that may contain animal hormones. Plus, other toxins and pollution found in things like soap and cleaning products can affect endocrine system output. And being overweight or having a general lack of fitness both play a large role in our hormone balance as well.
There are far too many factors that could be contributing to your hormone imbalance to even count. For this reason alone, anyone who may be experiencing the impact of an improperly functional endocrine system may look into the possible benefits of consuming wild yams. Yes, wild yams. Experts and recent research suggests that wild yams might actually help balance hormones.
It’s now understood that wild yams – sometimes known for being used to treat other intestinal disorders such as diverticulosis as well as for easing gallbladder pain, limiting the effects of rheumatoid arthritis and increasing energy – also possess the ability, if consumed regularly, to naturally balance your body’s hormone levels. Consulting your doctor before introducing any new foods into your diet is always recommend, but if you get the go-ahead, give wild yams a try. Not only might they fix your gut issues, they might also put you in a better mood. And that’s a good thing, right?