Ways To Balance Your Hormones Naturally
If you think you might have a hormonal imbalance, start by talking to a healthcare professional about your symptoms and potential underlying causes. At Parsley Health, we work with our members who have hormone imbalances to naturally bring their hormones back into balance. Typically, this starts with advanced hormone testing to help you and your doctor determine where your hormone levels are at. Working closely with your practitioner and health coach, you can resolve the underlying cause of hormonal imbalance with a personalized plan, including changes to your nutrition, lifestyle, and stress management practices.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of hormonal imbalance, there are some general steps we recommend to start feeling some relief. Here are some of our tried and true strategies.
Youre Having Problems With Sleep
Is sleeping more like a chore than a relaxing activity? Do you find yourself tossing and turning in bed because you cant get a shuteye? Is your sleep quality so bad that you wake up feeling more tired than refreshed? If your answer is yes to all these, then you may be suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
- Your body releases progesterone from your ovaries when you sleep, to regulate your cycle.
- If this hormones level is low, then you may struggle with falling or staying asleep.
- Sleeping can also be challenging for menopausal women because of night sweats and hot flashes.
- This happens when theres a decrease in estrogen levels.
Dont hesitate to see a doctor if your sleep problems due to hormone imbalance are causing inconvenience and discomfort. You need to get the best quality sleep because this will impact your physical energy, mental state, and immune system.
Learn To Manage Stress
Lastly, stress can wreak havoc on your hormones. For that reason, try to incorporate stress-reducing activities to your self-care routine, such as:
- meditation
- massage
- listening to soothing music
Calming activities such as these can help naturally balance your cortisol levels and effectively reduce stress over time.
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What Causes Hormonal Imbalance In Women
Hormone variations in women occur naturally, hormonal imbalance may occur during puberty, menopause and perimenopause. Hormone imbalance may also be caused by toxins or living an unbalanced lifestyle. Understanding the causes of hormone imbalance helps us to prevent them, and at the same time, feel better, think better, and better prevent breast cancer.
Moreover, there are many factors that can influence the levels of the female hormones found in the body and it is known that the absence of certain key macro- and micronutrients will affect hormone release by inhibition or causing an over secretion leading to hormone levels away from the expected norm.
Treatments For Hormonal Imbalance
Hormone replacement therapy is used commonly to balance hormones in women after menopause. It is used for a certain period of time before being discontinued.
Bioidentical hormones are another way to balance out hormones. They are man made hormones similar to those in our bodies like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are advertised as being safer and more natural than conventional HRT.
At this time, medical societies and researchers state that the risks and benefits of conventional and bioidentical hormones should be considered equal. Talk with Mid-City OB-GYN about their use if you are having symptoms.
Contact Mid-City OB-GYN at for treatment and other options if you think you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance.
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What Is Biote Hormone Pellet Therapy
BioTE Hormone Pellet Therapy is a bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. It replaces the hormones that have been depleted in your body and helps reverse many of the symptoms of hormone imbalance.
Bioidentical hormones are natural hormones derived from plants that act like the natural hormones your body produces. Many women prefer this type of HRT to other synthetic types because its natural and is delivered in the form of a pellet injected into the top layer of your skin. There are no pills to remember to swallow every day. One rice-sized pellet lasts four to six months, and studies have shown that bioidentical hormones have fewer side effects than synthetic hormones.
Another benefit of BioTE therapy is that the pellets release a steady, consistent stream of hormones throughout the day. You dont experience surges or drops in hormone levels as with other types of HRT.
For more information about how we can help you balance your hormones and get your life back in balance too, call the Center for Womens Health or make an appointment online through this website.
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What Causes Hormonal Imbalance
Your hormones have to work together in balance to help your body thrive. However, hormone ups and downs in women are very common, so if you feel that you have a hormonal imbalance, you are not alone.
Doctors from WebMD say that some of the common causes of an imbalance in hormone production in women are pre-menstrual syndrome, pregnancy, and the menopause. However, other lifestyle factors can cause hormones to fluctuate. Being overweight, not getting enough exercise, or a lack of sleep can all throw your hormones off balance.3
Other reasons for hormone fluctuations are an underactive thyroid that doesnt produce enough thyroxine . Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that hypothyroidism can leave you feeling lethargic, cause changes in your menstrual system, or make it difficult to lose weight.4
Also, diabetes is a common cause of hormonal imbalances and can affect, not just the insulin hormone, but also other blood sugar-related hormones, sex hormones, and growth hormones.5
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Risk Factors And Causes
Hormonal imbalances are multi-factorial disorders, meaning they are caused by a combination of factors such as your diet, medical history, genetics, stress levels and exposure to toxins from your environment.
Some of the major contributors to hormonal imbalances include:
- Food allergies and gut issues: An expanding field of new research shows that your gut health plays a significant role in hormone regulation. If you have leaky gut syndrome or a lack of beneficial probiotic bacteria lining your intestinal wall, youre more susceptible to hormonal problems, including diabetes and obesity. Thats because inflammation usually stems from your gut and then impacts nearly every aspect of your health.
- Being overweight or obese
- High amounts of stress, and a lack of enough sleep and rest
Adrenal dysfunction is the largest cause of the hormonal imbalance with the sex hormones especially because of something called the cortisol steal.
This occurs when cholesterol, which usually helps to make the sex hormones, combines with too much stress and the enzyme 17/20 lyase blocks the conversion the production of cortisol ensues. Cortisol then causes the imbalance of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone, which then decreases the sex drive.
Top 10 Symptoms Of Unbalanced Hormones
We speak to women everyday who are dealing with unbalanced hormones.
It can be an incredibly hard thing to deal with!
In todays podcast, Dr.Martin talks about the 10 most common symptoms of unbalanced hormones.
He will discuss Osteoporosis, cholesterol and the one thing you DONT need when youre having hormonal issues`
Hell also talk about what you can do to help!
Are you having a hard time with hormones? Dont miss this episode!!
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What Are The Treatment Options
Hormone replacement therapy is one of the most common treatments of low hormone levels.
For people experiencing menopause, premature menopause, or primary ovarian insufficiency as well as after oophorectomy or chemotherapy estrogen therapy can offer some relief. Estrogen therapy alone is recommended for those who have had a hysterectomy. You can take estrogen in different forms, generally estrogen pills and estrogen patches.
Transcript Of Today’s Episode
Announcer: Youre listening to The Doctor Is In Podcast, brought to you by Martinclinic.com. During the episode, the doctors share a lot of information. As awesome as the info may be, it is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. Its strictly for informational purposes.
Dr. Martin: Well, good morning everyone. Okay, guess what were talking about, hormones today. Yeah, well, a survey came out, and I always found it interesting. Men, you listen up, and the reason Im saying that is because we dont go through this. Okay. Men have a little bit, maybe, of an andropause, but nah, we dont get to comment too much. Im going to give you some information this morning, this is interesting. These are the top 10 symptoms on a survey of menopausal, pre-menopausal symptoms.
Now let me just explain here that as you get older, estrogen comes down, progesterone comes down, normal. And medicine has this idea that they usually want to give you HRT, hormone replacement therapy. And Im very concerned about that, because theres been enough years now that weve been able to study it, and let me just give you some stats.
Announcer: Youve reached the end of another Doctor Is In Podcast with your hosts Dr. Martin Jr. and Sr. Be sure to catch our next episode, and thanks for listening.
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Can Hormones Cause Acne
Many women experience monthly breakouts before or during their period. However, chronic acne is something different. Acne that does not go away may be due to excess androgens, male hormones like testosterone that both women and men have. Excess levels of these androgens make oil glands extra productive. Androgens also affect skin cells that line hair follicles. Excess oil and skin cell changes clog pores, leading to acne. A doctor may prescribe birth control pills, corticosteroids like prednisone , or anti-androgen medications to treat hormonally influenced acne. High androgen. levels may sometimes indicate polycystic ovary syndrome . Women with PCOS may experience infertility. High insulin levels can stimulate the production of androgens and may be associated with insulin resistance. Weight loss can help reverse insulin resistance.
Common Signs And Symptoms Of Hormonal Imbalances In Women
There are many signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalances in women. They depend on which glands in your body are affected and which hormones are imbalanced. Symptoms include:
Irregular periods
A hormone imbalance can lead to polycystic ovary syndrome , a condition in which the body makes higher levels of male hormones. The imbalance leads to skipped periods and can contribute to health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. Imbalances may also cause heavier than normal periods.
Low sex drive
A drop in your estrogen levels can cause a loss of desire for sexual intercourse. The imbalance can also cause vaginal dryness, which may make sex painful or uncomfortable.
Unexplained weight gain
Low levels of thyroid hormones, high levels of cortisol, PCOS, and other hormonal imbalances can cause unexplained weight gain.
Infertility
Hormone imbalances can affect your menstrual cycle, which can make it harder to get pregnant.
Insomnia
Progesterone is known as the relaxing hormone. An imbalance of this hormone can lead to insomnia, making it more difficult for you to sleep. Too much progesterone may also lead to chronic fatigue.
Bloating
Cells in the lining of your digestive tract have receptors for estrogen and progesterone. Changes in the levels of these hormones may affect your digestion, leading to bloating and other stomach issues.
Mood swings
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Ways To Naturally Balance Your Hormones
Hormonal imbalances are common in todays day and age, because of our fast-paced lifestyles and poor food and exercise habits.
However, there are ways to naturally keep your hormones balanced. Here are some tips that will help you get started:
A nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle choices may help keep your hormonal health in check. However, consult your doctor and discuss a way forward for your diet.
What Does Hormone Imbalance Mean
The healthy, hormonally balanced body continually manufactures all the hormones it needs to keep everything functioning. It becomes unbalanced when subjected to inadequate supplies of nutrients, inordinate stress and toxic influences. Balance is the most central aspect in a womans health.
Go through the list to determine whether you have any of the general symptoms of imbalance listed. Two or more troublesome or persistent symptoms signal hormone imbalance or estrogen dominance. You can also print the list to take with you to your health care provider.
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Testing For A Hormonal Imbalance
Although a hormone imbalance may bring some obvious symptoms, thatâs not always the case. For example, it can be challenging for someone to decipher whether the depression theyâre experiencing is related to a life event or if itâs instead because of hormone levels that are affecting their mental health. Thatâs why consulting with a healthcare provider is a good idea any time you arenât sure whatâs going on with your health.
Hormone testing may also be worth considering if youâre curious to learn whether you have a hormonal imbalance. Everlywell makes testing your hormones easy with at-home test kits that come with everything you need for collecting your sample and sending it to a lab . Plus, you can view your results on our secure, online platform in an easy-to-understand format. This can be a simpleâbut powerfulâway to see if hormones are balanced in your body and learn your personal levels.
As an example, consider a Womenâs Health Test to check for a hormonal imbalance in women.
If I Have A Hormonal Imbalance How Can It Be Treated
Your medical history, age, physical exam and a saliva hormone test can help determine if you have entered menopause or perimenopause or if you are experiencing some other type of hormonal imbalance. There are many types of hormone replacement therapies available and your urogynecologist will help you find the best program for your health needs and lifestyle.
If you suspect your life is being affected by a hormonal imbalance, call the expert team at Coyle Institute. We’re here to listen, and we respect that you know your own body and know when something is amiss. Set up your consultation today and get back on the road to feeling like your vibrant self again!
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Weight Gain Or Difficulty Losing Weight
Why do so many people struggle with weight loss and maintenance? Usually, its because they are eating nutrient-poor foods and working too hard. The body processes this hard work as stress and when the body is stressed, it goes into survival or fight or flight mode, producing cortisol. When youre chronically stressed, your cortisol is always high and in an effort to protect itself from whatever danger it senses, your body holds onto fat as a form of energy.
Three Categories Of Symptoms Often Caused By Hormonal Imbalances
When we see patients at Madison Womens Health for hormonal imbalances, most of their symptoms and concerns fall into three categories:
Lets first discuss these groups of symptoms. Next, well cover the most common hormones your doctor may check based on your symptoms.
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Puberty & Menopause Problems Caused By Hormone Imbalances
Getting First Period too Young or too Old
Typically, a girl will begin her period at a similar age to when her mother began getting hers. Some girls have their first period as early as 10 or 11. Others dont get their first period until theyre 15 or even 16. If you or your daughter are outside those age ranges and are concerned about that first period, it is worth a visit to her Pediatrician, Family Doctor or OBYGN.
Common factors that affect when a girl begins her period are weight changes, environmental factors that stimulate the hormones, or adrenal gland problems.
Irregular Periods in Teens
Pre-teens and teenagers have very irregular periods as their bodies mature. Sometimes, teens have unusual bleeding because they arent ovulating regularly. In this case, they have some hormonal development that isnt complete so the uterus isnt getting a clear enough signal of what to do.
Issues During Menopause
When women approach their mid- to late-40s, their cycles may become irregular as they enter the perimenopausal stage. You can read more about what to expect in perimenopause in our recent article. Signs that you may be experiencing perimenopause include skipping periods and having lighter periods.
If your periods are becoming heavier, more frequent, prolonged, or with spotting between periods, you should mention this to your doctor. These changes could indicate menopause, but they could also be caused by abnormalities in your cervix or uterus.
Final Thoughts On Hormonal Imbalances
- Some of the most common symptoms of hormone imbalances include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in hair, skin, and nails.
- Root causes of hormonal imbalances include compromised gut health, elevated inflammation, and high stress levels.
- Natural ways to balance your hormones include eating anti-inflammatory polyunsaturated fats, reducing your exposure to endocrine disruptors, getting adequate sleep, and using supplements to fill in any nutritional gaps related to gut health and vitamin D levels.
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