Hormone Balancing Tip #: Tune In To The Subtle Energies Throughout Your Cycle
Our patriarchal work culture has been built around the masculine energy of high productivity every day of the month. Unfortunately, women are not designed to operate like this. Our menstrual cycles mean that we naturally go through phases of high energy and slower, more introspective times .
Learning to identify and respond to these subtle energetic changes can revolutionise your productivity and output throughout your cycle. This is a topic I am very passionate about and spend an entire module teaching my students about in Hormone Harmony Academy. I teach my students to chart their cycles, and respond to energetic changes throughout the month. This means they can stop fighting the inevitable ebbs and flows and make turn their menstrual cycles into a source of power, rather than suffering.
When first becoming aware of your changing energy throughout your cycle, start by taking time to truly rest at menstruation. Even if this means for just one hour asking someone to watch your kids, going to bed early, taking a bath or reading a book instead of tidying the house. I guarantee if you can take some time for some self-care at menstruation, you will be rewarded with overflowing energy, productivity and creativity at your next ovulation time.
Top Diet Tips To Control Acne
Everyone’s body is different and a person sticking to one diet may help clear up their acne while the same diet may not work for someone else. Lee suggests maintaining a low-glycemic dietincluding lots of fresh vegetables as well as some fresh fruits, beans, and steel-cut oatsto help minimize pimples. And no matter what, make sure you’re cleansing your skin morning and night, and incorporating benzoyl peroxide, an effective antimicrobial agent that helps with hormonal acne as well as inflammatory acne, into your skincare routine.
To Decoding Your Hormones: How Long Should Your Period Be
Since we only have our own period to compare to, it can be hard to know whether what we experience is normal. Lets run through some normal cycle parameters so that you can determine where you fall:
The length of your periodrefers to the number of days from the first day of your bleed to the last day before your next bleed. A healthy range for your cycle length is anywhere between 21 and 35 days, with the average being around 29 days.
Many of my clients tell me their period is always late because it comes on day 30 . This is a huge misconception: that if your period isnt 28 days, you arent normal. If your period consistently arrives around the same day of your cycle, and it falls within the healthy range of 21 to 35 days, this is your normal, healthy cycle length.
Whether or not you fit this textbook 28 day cycle , the most important factor to consider is whether your normal has changed or not.
Our menstrual cycles are very responsive to stress in our lives and demonstrate this most clearly in the length of our cycles. Stress is not always psychological , but may be physical .
When we are more stressed, our body does not deem our environment to be a safe place to bring a baby in to the world, and can shut down ovulation all together, or delay it until it deems we are safe. The end result of this change in ovulation is a missing period altogether, or longer cycles than your normal. Think this might explain your menstrual cycle problems?
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Birth Control Pills And Breast Cancer Risk
The use of birth control pills in teenage girls has the potential to raise their risk of breast cancer. It is well established that when girls between the ages of 13 and 18and to a lesser but still significant degree, up to the age of 21use birth control pills, their risk of breast cancer can increase by as much as 600 percent. To put it plainly, the earlier a girl begins to use contraceptives, the greater her risk of breast cancer. This may be because the younger the girl, the more undeveloped her breast tissue, and thus the more vulnerable it is to the synthetic hormones contained in the pill. Furthermore, contraceptives work by inhibiting ovulation, which significantly reduces progesterone production and its essential estrogen balancing effects. This is a situation many young women find themselves in: ripe for symptoms of estrogen dominance and vulnerable to long-term risks for breast cancer.
Risks Of Not Treating Hormone Imbalances
Hormone imbalances, when left untreated, are more than just annoying mood swings and bad PMS. They can be indicators that something more serious rarely, even cancerous is happening in your body.
Not getting your hormones back in balance could lead to other problems, like elevated cholesterol, osteoporosis, obesity, lack of sleep, and more.
Although truly identified hormonal imbalances often need medical or even surgical intervention, a healthy lifestyle can improve low-level symptoms.
Do your best to get:
- 6-8 hours of sleep each day
- 30+ minutes of vigorous exercise daily
- And a high-quality diet with enough protein and healthy fats and less sugar.
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The Reason For This Is Because Hormonal Contraceptives Stop You Ovulating Thats Why They Are Contraceptives They Suppress Ovulation
So while ever you are taking the OCP or have an implant in the hormone levels from them over-rides your own natural levels and stops your follicles from maturing and releasing eggs. Which is great for contraception. But
It screws up the natural signalling between your brain and your ovaries. Your brain gets used to not signalling your ovaries to make hormones. So when you stop the OCP or have the Implanont or Mirena removed you dont have a normal hormonal rhythm.
And this is why your period might not come back or it is irregular.
So hormonal birth control is definitely not hormone balancing.
The only way you can truly rebalance your hormones is with the right foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs. Natural things that restore health and proper ovarian function. Pharmaceutical drugs cant do this.
But the real secret to rebalancing your hormones is not just willy-nilly trying different diets, herbs and nutritional supplements. You need to identify which of your hormones are out of balance.
Because there are different herbal and supplement protocols for different hormone imbalances.
For example in a condition like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome there can be imbalances not just with testosterone but also with oestrogen and progesterone.
If youre not getting a period or you get one very infrequently then it could be because oestrogen is low. Or testosterone is high. Or as is commonly the case stress hormones have shut down your menstrual cycle.
Period Problems And Period
A common complaint of women who visit Madison Womens Health is irregular periods or unexpected changes to their periods. A period is considered irregular when it occurs more often than before or less often than before, or if the amount and duration of bleeding has changed significantly for repeated months. Is your period suddenly much heavier than it has been? Or are you not having a period at all?
Keep track of your cycles, when you begin to bleed, and for how long. A popular app among our patients for tracking cycles is Period Tracker Period Calendar , although there are many options. Let your doctor know how many days there are between your periods and what your typical flow is like. Discuss what is different and why you are concerned. Let them know if youre under more stress than before, if youve changed your diet or exercise recently, or if you have a family history of irregular periods.
These changes could have a structural cause having to do with your cervix or uterus or a hormonal cause. Your doctor will likely want to perform a physical exam and may also check specific hormones on a specific day of your menstrual cycle.
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Risk Factors For Vaginal Atrophy
Some women are more likely than others to get atrophic vaginitis. Women who have never given birth vaginally are more prone to vaginal atrophy than women who delivered their babies vaginally.
Smoking impairs blood circulation, depriving the vagina and other tissues of oxygen. Tissue thinning occurs where blood flow is decreased or restricted. Smokers are also less responsive to estrogen therapy in pill form.
Top Five Tips For Rebalancing Hormones
Maintain a healthy diet. Incorporate fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, plus raw nuts and seeds into your diet. Avoid high fatty foods, processed carbohydrates, fried foods, soft drinks, enriched flour, and processed vegetable oil. Avoid non-organic dairy products, which may contain harmful bovine growth hormones, steroids and antibiotics.
Add more Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. These fats create healthy cell membranes, allowing hormones to bind to the cell more easily. Omega-3 fatty acids also repair receptor sites and keep it in optimal condition. Consider eating more foods with omega-3s or taking a high quality organic oil, such as hempseed or flaxseed.
Keep stress levels down. Studies show that women who mediate daily or practice yoga experience less hormonal swings than those who dont. Rest is important. Many women lead such hectic lives with many demands placed on them that they have little time to let their bodies re-adjust. Find small ways and time to relax. A massage can be a wonderful way to relax and remove the aches and pains caused by a busy lifestyle.
Get enough good quality sleep. Try to get at least 8 hours every night. During sleep the body recuperates and restores. Insufficient sleep is now recognised as a major cause heart disease, stroke, metabolic dysfunction and impaired mental health.
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Hormone Balancing Tip #: Support Hormone Detoxification
Our liver and gut are the two major organs responsible for breaking down and clearing hormones once they have been used in the body. It’s so important that these systems are working properly to prevent build-up of hormones which contributes to hormonal imbalances. Heres a brief overview of how to support these two systems of detoxification .
How To Fix An Imbalance
For each person and each hormonal imbalance, the treatment plan will be different. For some, simply losing weight sets off a cycle of change in the vital hormones of the body helping to create balance. For others, hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, and vitamin supplements can be used to balance hormone levels.
If you have or suspect a hormone imbalance the best place to start is talking to your doctor about having your hormone levels checked and creating a treatment plan that is customized to your needs. It may take some experimenting with different treatments to find the right treatment for your personal situation.
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Feed Your Gut Microbiome
For hormone production and balance we need to ensure our gut bacteria are flourishing so eating fermented foods daily , prebiotic foods and probiotic yoghurts etc as well as eating as many different foods as possible in a week will help maintain the diversity you need.
If you feel that you could benefit from additional support, they you can learn more by reading my page about hormone imbalance or dont hesitate to contact me using the form below.
What Causes A Hormone Imbalance
There are a variety of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance, including illnesses such as thyroid or other endocrine gland conditions, diabetes, eating disorders, cancer treatment, hormone therapy, environmental toxins, a nutritionally poor diet that is rich in refined foods, and certain medications.
For women, a hormone imbalance often occurs in relation to the female reproductive system polycystic ovary syndrome , birth control pills, pregnancy, breastfeeding, hysterectomy and menopause can all cause issues.
There may be a genetic tendency, says Dr. Eccles, but most commonly an imbalance is related to lifestyle and less healthy lifestyles that are more often associated with hormone dysregulation .
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How To Get Rid Of Pigmentation
Pigmentation is discoloration or darkening of some areas of your skin due to various causes. Most commonly, pigmentation occurs due to hormonal imbalance and over exposure to sun without any blocking agent. Pigmentation can happen in both men and women and of any age.
Treating Pigmentation permanently can only be done by its root cause i.e. what has caused it. If it is imbalance in your hormones, it would be treated from root once your hormones are balanced. Similarly, if it is due to exposure to sun light, you need to use sunscreen cream of any sun blocking agent while you step out in sunrays.
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For a temporary solution, you can try out creams, serums and DIYs. One of the most common DIY face packs is= Gram Flour+ Honey+ Lemon + Rose Water. Apply this and keep for 15 minutes. Scrub and wash off with cold water.
You can also try apple cider vinegar, added with water and apply for 2 minutes. Rinse off.
Also, stay away from chemical-based face washes, creams and even shampoos. Do not apply deodrant on your face or directly on your skin to prevent pigmentation.
Make sure you visit a dermatologist if your problem persists for long. They may suggest you skin peels that can make a significant difference to make your skin even out.
Your Body Has Over 50 Hormones And They Are Constantly Fluctuating Here How To Keep Them From Getting Too Out Of Whack
With Barry Sears MD
Our hormones are responsible for essentially every function in our bodies. Hormones are chemicals secreted by our glands in order to send messages through the bloodstream. Those messages then tell our organs what to do to keep us alive and healthy.
When we think hormone, we usually think about the sex hormones testosterone or estrogen, but there are actually more than 50 different hormones circulating inside your body right now.
For example, your thyroid hormones oversee your metabolism, energy levels, and temperature, while cortisol, the stress hormone, plays a role in fetal development and your response to physical and psychological stress. From heart rate to appetite to sexual function, each and every hormone plays an important role.
When your hormones are balanced and working in sync, you wont notice them, of course, and thats a good thing. Its when theyre imbalanced that you could start seeing cascading health issues take over.
Hormonal imbalance stems from your body making too little or too much of a hormone or a series of hormones. There are many hormones, such as insulin or adrenaline, that everyone shares, but specific hormones can affect men and women in different ways. For example, women may see an imbalance in estrogen and progesterone levels, while men may experience an imbalance in testosterone.
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What Happens When These Hormones Become Imbalanced
When there is an excess of estrogen in your system, this can lead to heavy and painful periods, sore breasts, PMS, and weight retention around thighs and hips. The causes of estrogen excess include higher production from ovaries and poor metabolism and detoxification.
Low estrogen can also have negative effects on your health, which include low libido, missing periods, or very long cycles. The causes for low estrogen include under-eating, over-exercising, stress, and smoking.
The consequences of low progesterone include PMS, spotting before period begins, anxiety, and prolonged bleeding. The causes of low progesterone include stress and not ovulating.
Having high testosterone can cause acne, male pattern hair growth, hair loss, and irregular cycles. It is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome , which is associated with irregular cycles and excess androgens .
How Hormones Upset Internal Peace
Although hormones naturally rise and fall throughout your lifetime, it isnt normal for them to be so out of whack that you are consistently feeling miserable.
Some natural changes happen around your menstrual cycle, for example. Estrogen rises on the first day of your period, and drops mid-cycle. Progesterone rises mid-cycle right before ovulation, then drops a day or two before your period begins.
But some women have progesterone levels that are far too low all the time, which can result in nasty symptoms, like feelings of constant irritation. Often, this deficiency is a result of ongoing stress. When your body is under a constant barrage of stress, it calls for an ongoing supply of cortisol. And if your adrenals are busy pumping out cortisol, there can be a direct impact on the production of sex hormones, resulting in imbalances.
The good news is, there are some simple solutions. A progesterone cream, for instance, can be very effective in treatment of PMS symptoms. And dont forget the power of food. Paying close attention to the quality of your nutrition. It can have a bigger impact than any prescription!
Hormones can be linked to so many aspects of your health, including how you view the world. Studies have shown that during the latter part of a womans menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase, brain changes may have you hearing words in a more negative way, or cause a stronger reaction to touchy subjects or events.
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Natural Ways To Treat Hormonal Imbalance In Women
If you want the perfect and natural remedies for treating hormonal imbalance in females, we have listed some of the top natural remedies that will help treat this problem without any side effects.
Healthy Diet Is An Effective Key
Eat healthy, Eat Nutritionally! If you want to lead a healthy life without worrying about hormone imbalance, choose to eat a healthy diet. A healthy nutritional diet can help fulfill nutrient requirements in the body and reduce diseases and health concerns. For example, eating plenty of bowls and plates full of vegetables, fruits, organic grains, nuts, seeds, and soy products can help control hormonal chemical flow in the body effortlessly. Similarly, in women, it will also help to reduce menstrual-related problems too.
Regular Exercise
Well, fitness plays a significant role in the body to enhance every organs energy level and activeness. And, regular exercise can help to diminish the concern of hormonal imbalance. Also, a regular workout can help flush out toxins in the form of sweat, reduce the chances of health issues, and balance the hormones. Similarly, exercising helps boost immunity and boost the bodys fitness level to fight against every disease and concern.
Yoga & Meditation
Get Sufficient Amount of Sleep
Natural Herbs For Natural Cure
- Nigella Seeds
Avoid Overeating