When we have hormone imbalances, often we will get prescribed synthetic hormones to “level us out”
The problem is that by doing this the body thinks there is enough of that hormone and so it stops producing it, thereby causing an increased malfunction, which can lead to long-term negative effects and imbalances.
If we have difficulty metabolising or clearing our hormones effectively, then this effect can be even worse.
Often hormones are prescribed as creams. The doses of which are hard to monitor and much of the hormone actually gets stored in our fat deposits making us more toxic.
Synthetic hormones like those in the contraceptive pill also cause copper toxicity and affect the body’s levels of vitamin and minerals; namely zinc, B vitamins and magnesium. Ironically these nutrients are required to metabolise hormones properly…and so the problem escalates.
Unfortunately, what we are now seeing far too often, and what many of my clients present with, is a whole heap of hormone imbalance symptoms such as fertility issues, heavy, irregular, or painful menstrual cycles, PCOS, endometriosis, acne (and not always when we are just a teenager), indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, vaginal dryness, sore boobies, osteoporosis (brittle bones), hot flashes, night sweats, unexplained weight gain, anxiety, irritability, we might lose our sex drive, suffer from unexplained or excessive sweating, develop excess hair in areas we didn’t expect until our 90’s! Seriously! It’s not fun!
Many of us have been on contraceptive pills since we developed acne in our early teens, even before we were sexually active! They were prescribed as a medication to help clear the skin. We then stayed on them for over 15 years until our early 30’s when we finally found a decent guy, had our careers in place, and were ready to start a family. Then month after month goes by…still not pregnant…
Our bodies are totally out of balance, yet the medical professions answer is often to supply even more synthetic hormones.
When does it stop?
Why aren’t we trying to fix the lack of hormone production in the first place?
Our bodies are designed to keep us functioning at our very best. We have various mechanisms in place to help it do so, and keep it in a state of ease, or balance known as homeostasis. But the body can only work with what it has. If we don’t give it the right ingredients, have a congested liver, dysfunctional gut, and high toxic burden, then it is going to have to compensate somehow.
Some ideas are included below:
- Good nutrition:
- First need a well functioning gut to be able to digest and assimilate the nutrients we eat
- Eat wholefoods i.e. foods that are in their natural state
- Eat good fats like cold-pressed organic avocado and extra-virgin olive oil, cold-pressed organic coconut oil (or expeller-pressed if you dislike the flavour), activated nuts and seeds, and oily wild-caught fish like sardines and red salmon – dietary fats, and cholesterol are in-fact cofactors for making your hormones, so these are incredibly important!
- Eat quality grass-fed, pasture-raised animal protein
- Avoid inflammatory foods like processed food, soy, regular dairy, gluten, refined carbs, sugar, alcohol, caffeine
- Eat lots of veggies – think the rainbow. Best eaten blanched or steamed and with some good fats to better absorb the nutrients.
- Adequate rest:
- 8 hours of undisturbed sleep
- Bed before 10:30
- Don’t over exert yourself i.e. listen to your body
- The right amount of exercise
- At least 20-30 minutes daily where you are working hard enough you can’t maintain a conversation
- Stretching to maintain flexibility and aid circulation
- Reducing toxins:
- Eat organic where possible or wash fruits and veg in apple cider vinegar and water
- Choose natural personal and cleaning products
- Eat foods rich in antioxidants (blueberries, raspberries, spinach, kale, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, oranges, butternut squash)
- Reducing stress:
- Mental – mindfulness and mediation
- Physical – regular massage, chiro, physio, get those aches and pains sorted
- Chemical – (see reducing toxins)
This is a brief overview.
If you need further guidance a great place to start is with my online Feel Good from Your Core Program, which is launching soon. To find out more email bookings@corehealthclinic.com with “Tell me about your program!” in the subject line.
If you want to know for sure what’s going on with your hormones then functional lab testing is a far more advanced method than the regular blood test you may get at your doctor.
Dried urine testing (DUTCH) can show us how you are using and metabolising your hormones, so we can actually see why you are suffering the way you are and develop more targeted treatments.
For more info book your free consultation here.