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When the word "hormones" is uttered, visions of
raging menopausal women come to mind for most. That's so sad. Hormonal
changes affect everyone from birth to death, yet we seem to have a very
negative association with that word.
For women, the most pronounced changes come in their 40s and 50s, but
can been seen as early as their mid-30s. Many more women are having
hormonal symptoms earlier, which has a lot to do with not only our
lifestyle and diet, but also the pollution, toxins and xenoestrogens
(synthetic chemicals that act as estrogen in our bodies) that we're
exposed to every day.
Some of the most common symptoms of hormonal imbalances are:
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1. Persistent weight gain.
Yes, there are lifestyle, diet and physical activity components to
maintaining a healthy weight, but that isn't the end of the story. Many
women have underlying hormonal imbalances that make it difficult to
maintain a healthy weight. Unaddressed or emerging insulin resistance is
one of the most common; small changes in diet — such as eliminating
processed foods, sugars and wheat — are steps in the right direction.
2. Belly fat and loss of muscle mass.
When your endocrine system is under stress there's an underproduction of
certain hormones and an overproduction of others (mainly cortisol). This
makes your body store fat for future use, making an increase in belly
fat a clue to adrenal fatigue.
3. Low libido.
One of the most noticeable symptoms of hormonal imbalance is low libido,
which starts with disturbed sleep. Without quality sleep our sex hormone
production can diminish.
4. Fatigue.
Can't make it past mid-morning without some sort of pick-me-up? How
about that mid-afternoon crash? It isn't normal to feel sluggish,
scattered or mentally foggy. Easy dietary changes, such as eliminating
wheat and most grains, will help stabilize your blood sugar. |
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5. Anxiety, irritability and depression.
Not feeling like yourself? This isn't the time for pharmaceuticals.
Anxiety and depression are clues that you have an imbalance, toxicity,
are overworked, stressed out, and most likely aren't nourishing your
body the way it needs. Listen to your inner voice and take the actions
necessary to meet your needs.
6. Insomnia and poor sleep patterns.
This starts the cycle of physical stress and increases cortisol levels,
which directly causes many hormonal imbalances. There isn't one area of
your life that insomnia doesn't touch.
7. Sweating.
For many women, night sweats and hot flashes are the first uncomfortable
sign that something is amiss. This isn't the time to start hormone
replacement therapy, but begin a food journal by jotting down what you
eat and drink, how you feel physically, and any emotions that come up
after. Many times our emotions are the trigger that increases internal
temperature. The next time you feel the flashes coming on, stop and
think about the thoughts swirling around in your mind. |
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8. Digestion problems.
Gas, bloating and slow digestion are common hormonal problems that
aren't usually associated with hormonal imbalances, but may be
associated with eating bad foods, not chewing your food and eating too
much. When you don't have optimal digestion, your body is starving
because of poor nutrient extraction.
9. Cravings.
After eating way more than you should have, or having gone through half
a bottle of wine, do you look back and ask yourself why? Common causes
of cravings and excess eating are adrenal fatigue, insulin resistance,
and other hormonal imbalances. Again, minimizing sugars, alcohol, dairy
and wheat — although difficult — not only will help control cravings,
but your digestive issues as well.
Please note that many of these symptoms can be linked to other physical
problems, and a simple blood test can tell you if there are other
underlying concerns.
With consistent effort applied to improving diet and digestive health,
stress management, improved sleep and consistent physical activity, true
holistic health is attainable.
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