Do you have a Hormone Imbalance?
hormones.
Hormones are absolutely essential to every function in our body, every single day. They affect everything from your energy, metabolism, blood sugar, menstrual cycles, fertility, sexual function, sleep wake cycle, mood and much much more.
What are hormones?
Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers. They signal your body what to do and when to do it.
Hormones are made by our endocrine glands, such as the ovaries, thyroid, adrenals, hypothalamus and pituitary. They coordinate many different functions and are absolutely essential for health.
Did you know that our gut and liver also release hormones?
This is why gut and liver health are so closely linked to hormone health.
What is hormone imbalance?
It’s important to know that our hormones naturally fluctuate during our lifetime
These fluctuations are tightly regulated and it’s when a hormone becomes too high or too low that it starts to be an issue.
“A hormone imbalance is when you have too much or too little of one or more hormones.”
It’s also important to mention that hormones influence each other, so when one is out of balance, this will have a downstream effect on other hormones. For example, when cortisol is elevated (in times of increased stress for example), this can lower estrogen levels, impair thyroid function and decrease insulin sensitivity, often leading to weight gain, menstrual changes and fatigue.
This is why addressing your stress needs to be an absolute priority for your hormones and health. In fact, this is so important that it’s one of the 5 essential hormone health pillars and we will be talking about this in the coming days.
Symptoms of hormone imbalance
As you now know, the actions of our hormones are wide reaching. So, it stands to say that the symptoms of imbalance can vary and often overlap as you’ll see below.
Here are some of the common symptoms:
Low energy
Heavy or irregular periods
Mood swings
Anxiety
Sleep disturbances
Hair loss
Hair growth in unwanted places
Decreased libido
Fertility difficulties
Migraines
Weight changes
What causes hormone imbalance?
There are many possible factors playing a role when it comes to hormones. Commonly, it is a combination of dietary and lifestyle factors unique to each individual. This can include an unbalanced approach to eating, high processed or high sugar foods, stress, poor sleep and over (or under) exercising. Sometimes, there can also be an underling nutrient deficiency or medical issue present. For example, iodine deficiency can negatively impact thyroid hormones.
Additionally, there are seasons in a woman’s life where hormone imbalance is more common - such as during menopause.
If you are experiencing some of the symptoms above, such as tiredness, mood swings, irregular or heavy periods, and you are ready to feel your best again, seek support from a qualified practitioner, such as a clinical nutritionist. They can complete a thorough, holistic assessment, arrange testing as needed and provide you with an individualised plan, specific for you.
If you’d like to find out more about this, I offer a free, no obligation 10 minute chat. You can book that here.