17 Jul Female Hormones Causing Havoc?
Our female hormone balances play a huge role in how we feel every day. If our estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels are low or out of balance, we simply don’t feel our best. We may even suffer health problems such as bone loss, weight gain or depression.
The female body is designed to work optimally when all of the endocrine glands are functioning in sync and put out the correct amount of chemical messages to instruct the cells what to do. This careful orchestration of hormone production is directed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid-adrenal-gonadotropic axis — a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions between the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, thyroid gland, adrenal glands and the ovaries. Many external factors influence hormone balance every day, including: quality of sleep and nutrition, exposure to toxins, infections or too much stress, lack of relaxation and limited exercise.
Symptoms of hormone imbalance can vary widely between women and across the age span.
A woman in her twenties may experience severe symptoms of PMS such as irritability, bloating and weight gain for several days before her period. This is commonly related to increasing levels of estrogen and too little or no balancing progesterone. These symptoms usually disappear a day or two after her period starts as her estrogen levels fall and hormonal balance is regained. If they are interfering with her life and her relationships, she should seek help.
A woman in her forties may feel out of balance as she enters perimenopause — another common time in her life when estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels fluctuate widely causing a variety of symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and low sex drive. These symptoms can be relieved easily with the right combination of lifestyle changes and hormone treatment.
A woman in her fifties who is no longer having her period is in menopause and may suffer from very low hormone levels causing hot flashes, vaginal dryness and depression — all related to her hormone balance.
The great news is none of these women have to suffer with any of these symptoms … and neither do you! The key is to recognize that your symptoms are related to your hormones and that the imbalance that is causing the symptoms can be corrected. I find many of my patients are very surprised to learn the number of symptoms that are actually hormone related. It is very difficult to get proper treatment if the cause of the problem is not properly diagnosed!
If you’re having symptoms that are related to hormone changes that are “moderate” or “severe” in nature, please connect with me about how you are feeling and ask that we have your hormone levels evaluated. There are many treatments available — including bioidentical hormones, which are made at the dose you need, botanical medicines, fatty acids, nutrients, and lifestyle changes — that can help you get back to the life you deserve!