“An utterly fascinating guide to who you are and how youwork. Saira Hameed reveals the endocrine system, and places it at the center ofself-knowledge; a system of control, but also a set of signals we can learn tointerpret.” ―Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People In the tradition of Atul Gawande and Henry Marsh, aphysician writer’s expert examination of the extraordinary power of hormonesand the miraculous story of the life force signals that make us. Hormones write life’s masterplan - building a new humanbeing in utero, transforming a helpless newborn into a sturdy toddler, ignitingthe firestorm of puberty, conjuring the alchemy of fertilization and directingthe transition into menopause and beyond. And all the while, day-to-day, minute-by-minute, hormonescontrol our mood and stress levels, how hungry we feel and how much we weigh,changes in libido and blood sugar, the circadian rhythm of our energy balanceand sleep-wake cycle. In Signals , Dr. Saira Hameed takes us on ajourney through the endocrine system, the body’s miraculous and oftenmisunderstood communication network of endocrine glands and hormone signals. Webarely notice these internal signals efficiently carrying messages from cell tocell because the power of hormones over our brains and bodies is so fundamentalthat their omnipotent control is simply felt as life itself.Yet when the body’s signaling system breaks, we see with hindsight that be‘hormonal’ is in fact to be human. Here Dr. Hameed combines expert experience, revelatoryscience, medical history, and cultural commentary with compellingcompassionately recounted patient cases. In this special confluence ofstorytelling Dr. Hameed invites readers to share in the mysterious, magicalinner world of the endocrine system, going beyond hormone hacks and hype totune out the noise and instead listen into the signals – to the powerfulendocrine life force of how the body talks to itself. Category Defining Book: Hormones are in the zeitgeistand Signals provides answers about what they can and can’t control. - Understand Your Own Body: Expert-authored analysisbased in science that leaves readers with a greater appreciation for how theendocrine system works and affects our lives. - Gripping Medical Cases: Real stories of Dr. Hameed’spuzzling medical cases that provide a peak behind the curtain as to how doctorswork. “An utterly fascinating guide to who you are and how you work. Saira Hameed reveals the endocrine system, and places it at the center of self-knowledge; a system of control, but also a set of signals we can learn to interpret. It’s compassionate, humane and grounded in the author's deep clinical experience. A true gift.” —Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People “A fascinating tour of endocrinology, surely the most outlandish but also humane of the medical specialties. Hameed isn’t just an exceptional doctor, she is a natural storyteller. Unputdownable!” —Gabriel Weston, author of Alive and Direct Red “This is the book I have been waiting for since I was a teenager. Hameed’s timely, brilliant, and engaging journey through the hormones that control our brains and bodies is infused not just with deep curiosity but with wisdom and compassion. Signals will make you question everything you thought you knew about the choices we make and the emotions we feel—men and women, and at every stage of our lives.” —Aarathi Prasad, author of Silk and In the Bonesetter’s Waiting Room “A fascinating insight into the real-world mystery-solving of the doctors’ clinic, and discoveries past and present.” —Mishal Husain “…the author is as eloquent as she is knowledgeable, and brings once ghostly “spirits” to vibrant life. A must-read in any era, but especially this one, given the increasing prevalence of hormone-centric drugs.” — Kirkus “Through patient case studies and the thrilling stories of the scientists behind the discoveries, Saira Hameed takes us on a journey through the hidden chemical conductors of our health. Hameed is the kind of doctor you'd love to be referred to: knowledgeable, compassionate and with knack for translating science into stories that inspire and entertain.” —Caroline Williams, author of Inner Sense "In this enlightening exploration, endocrinologist Hameed draws from decades of expertise and real-life patient cases to demystify the role of hormones in the body. Throughout, she combines entertaining storytelling with insightful reflections. Readers will be inspired to listen to their bodies’ cues." — Publishers Weekly “[An] enthralling, revelatory book.” — The Bookseller (an Editor’s Choice) Dr. Saira Hameed is a Consultant Endocrinologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, a Senior Tutor at Imperial College London and a prizewinning teacher in the Imperial College School of Medicine. She studied medicine at Oxford University and University College London and was a visiting medical student in endocrinology at the Mayo Cl