THE PITUITARY GLAND IN REFLEXLOGY

At the beginning of most treatments, I begin with balancing the endocrine system and right at the top of this, is the pituitary gland. So often when one gland is out of balance, the rest may be struggling to stay on track as well. They are all so interconnected that I like to start by making sure I’ve given your body a chance to rebalance.

It is a very calming sequence that allows me to go through the whole body/foot, to also quickly see if there are any hormone glands out of balance. If there is, and quite often the adrenal gland is (see my article here), I then know that I need to focus and spend some time on this point.

THE PITUITARY GLAND

The pituitary gland, also known as the master gland, is situated just behind the bridge of your nose, snuggled in a bony hollow. Albeit the size of a pea, it controls several other hormone glands in the body including your thyroid, adrenals and ovaries/testicles. Secreting a total of 8 hormones, it plays a vital role in our bodies.

It is connected to the hypothalamus gland (read more about that here), and by a thin stalk, the base of your brain. The hypothalamus also controls the pituitary gland which sends signals to either the anterior (front) or posterior (back) lobe.

When the anterior lobe receives either releasing or inhibiting hormones from the hypothalamus and that indicates if the pituitary gland should send more of that hormone or stop it.

When the posterior lobe receives a hormone from the hypothalamus, it will send more of them out to the next hormone gland.

ANTERIOR LOBE HORMONES:

·       Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH): ACTH stimulates the adrenal glands to produce hormones.

·       Luteinizing hormone (LH): LH works with FSH to ensure normal functioning of the ovaries and testes.

·       Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): FSH works with LH to ensure normal functioning of the ovaries and testes.

·       Growth hormone (GH): GH is essential in early years to maintaining a healthy body composition and for growth in children. In adults, it aids healthy bone and muscle mass and affects fat distribution.

·       Prolactin: Prolactin stimulates breast milk production.

·       Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH): TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce hormones.

POSTERIOR LOBE HORMONES:

·       Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH): This hormone prompts the kidneys to increase water absorption in the blood.

·       Oxytocin: Oxytocin is involved in a variety of processes, such as contracting the uterus during childbirth and stimulating breast milk production.