How can that be? How do endocrine problems happen? Let me count the ways.

First, let’s look at the pituitary, the master of the endocrine system. The Pituitary Society says 20% of us have pituitary tumors, most of which, thankfully, are benign. As if that’s not bad enough, study in Europe says 25% of us have pituitary tumors.

And tumors aren’t nearly the whole story. Studies reveal that most people who suffer a concussion incur pituitary damage. Your unprotected pituitary gland hangs from the base of your brain, right behind the bridge of your nose, so it’s no wonder it takes a hit when your head does.

Eating or drinking anything containing MSG or aspartame causes brain inflammation, specifically the hypothalamus, a tiny, kind of pancake arrangement just above the pituitary. The hypothalamus controls the nervous system and the pituitary–and through it, the rest of the endocrine system. When you put the hypothalamus in a world of hurt, it can’t function all that well; your endocrine system and nervous system head south.

Then synthetic hormones–birth control pills and HRT–march into the fray, throwing the endocrine system, which includes the ovaries, for a loop. Out-of-control estrogen levels send an engraved invitation to PMS and menopause troubles–plus breast cancer and other bad stuff.

To make sure the men don’t get left out of the endocrine death march, we have plant- based estrogens such as soy. And many of the plastics in our lives join in that game, too. When men get too much estrogen, it starts to turn testosterone into estrogen, with less than desirable results.

And let’s not forget the fluoride and chlorine in our water and bromine in our bread that interfere with thyroid hormone production. We end up with non-functional thyroid hormone instead of anything we can use.

Then, too, our non-stop lives drag down our adrenal glands, especially when fueled by a diet starring carbs and high fructose corn syrup.

And so on.

When you consider the fact that any endocrine gland that gets into trouble drags all the others into the problem to try to set things right, it’s probably kind of a miracle that 50% of us are healthy–and “only” 50% of us have endocrine problems.

If you’re dragging your patooty through life, but the doctor says you’re fine, there’s a 97% chance you need Bette’s information. Subscribe to her free health ezine at http://TooPoopedToParticipate.com And check out her e-book, Pep for the Pooped: Vitamins And Minerals Your Body Is Starving For at http://PepForThePooped.com to solve some of your hormone problems.