Hormone Balance
enHormones – It’s a Balancing Act!
Hormones get blamed for everything: bad skin, bad moods, bad periods, etc. If it’s “that time of the month,” watch out. Or, maybe you are “going through the change” but it seems like things are changing and changing but you are not sure into what (or who)! Perimenopause can last up to 10 years!
Then throw in the non-reproductive hormone systems like adrenals, thyroid, or the “master glands” hypothalamic/pituitary axis and you can really have a mess.
Symptoms can include irregular/heavy/absent/painful periods, infertility, fatigue, heart palpitations, mood changes, brain fog, headaches, acne, hair loss AND hair where it’s not supposed to be, weight gain (and muscle loss – ugh!), breast pain, dry/itchy skin, digestive issues, insomnia, hot flashes/night sweats, vaginal/bladder changes, and a sex drive that’s gone missing.
What’s a Matriarch to do?
First stop is The Basics: food choices, staying hydrated, managing stress, prioritizing sleep, some sort of physical movement, and optimizing detoxification/elimination pathways. You can actually affect excess estrogen levels by increasing fiber and ensuring regular (at least once daily) bowel movements!
Next stop is standard lab work and correcting/optimizing thyroid and adrenal function, really working on metabolic health, your gut, and nutrition status through food and supplements. This is when lifestyle changes are even more critical, especially those related to the balance between sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) states. It comes at no surprise to anyone that hormones get even wackier when stress levels are high.
Knowing when, how, and in what order to support female hormones (estrogen, progesterone, DHEAS, and yes, even testosterone) is critical in supporting all of the phases of a woman’s life: puberty, preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. The good news is that hormones can be balanced – even “enjoyable” or a source of power! – during our reproductive years and later, menopause can bring a welcome stability after years of what might have felt like a roller coaster. It IS possible!
Specialized hormone testing might be indicated in tough cases, to fine-tune your plan, or if you have a family history of hormone-related problems. Currently, my favorite ways to assess hormone status are the DUTCH or ZRT tests – at-home urine or saliva testing sent back to the lab by mail.
Most women experience rapid improvement even with small adjustments in their hormonal milieu. When your hormones are balanced, Life is just better all around.
Do you need some hormone balancing?
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