I am 30 years old and it is clear to me my hormones are out of whack.
Why? Well for starters I get breakouts often, my period lasts an average of 11-14 days, or I have breakthrough bleeding between cycles, and I consistently get this weird vaginal pressure that is similar to a bladder infection, without the actual infection. No fun indeed.
So I am on a quest to naturally cure this problem and I plan to share the testing and results with you. I was on birth control for over 10 years and it really didn't help with the long periods or sporadic breakthroughs, which is actually one of the reason I stopped taking the pill (not to mention my shift to a more natural lifestyle).
How can you tell if your hormones are out of balance?
Well the main question I would ask is "Do you feel at home in your body?" If not, it is very possible your hormones are out of balance, especially in this day and age with the chemicals in our food, the pollution in our air and water, and the estrogen in beauty products.Here are some very common symptoms:
-Acne -Heavy/long menstruation -Mood Swings
-Lower libido -Excessive hair -Foggy thinking
-Anxiety -Rapid weight gain -Fatigue
-Night Sweats -Memory Problems -Menstrual Changes
Here are a list of hormones, what they do, and common symptoms when they are out of balance:
Oxytocin: The love hormone. Helps you be social and create meaningful relationships. And also makes your uterus contract during child birth and lactation.
High levels: Over-sensitivity - Notice other peoples emotions intensely
Low Levels: Depression, and possibly linked to autism
*No evidence has proven these symptoms are truly linked to an imbalances in oxytocin
Estrogen: Helps keep acne at bay, strengthens the bones and regulates cycle
High Levels: Bloating - Swollen or tender breasts - Low libido - Irregular menstrual cycles - Constant headaches - Mood swings - Weight gain - Loss of hair - PMS - Lethargy - Trouble sleeping - Memory & recall issues
Low Levels: Hot flashes - Night sweats - Anxiety - Vaginal dryness - Mood swings - Low libido
Testosterone: Kicks that sex drive into motion, gives you confidence and spunk!
High Levels: Excessive hair growth - Acne - Increased perspiration - Deepening of voice
Progesterone: Helps keep you calm, cool and collected. Prepares the lining of the uterus to accept a fertilized egg.
High Levels: Tender breasts - Fatigue - Vaginal dryness - Mood swings - Low libido
Low Levels: Intense headaches or migraines - Allergies - Sugar cravings - Metabolism not working the way it used to - Low libido - Foggy thinking or memory - Mood swings - Anxiety or depression - Acne or dry skin - Menstrual irregularities (ie spotting, PMS, long cycles, cramping) - Infertility
Leptin: Your "I think I had enough button" or your self-control, appetite regulator.
High Levels (or resistance): Junk food cravings - Trouble sticking to a diet - Weight gain (basically you are overweight but your brain still thinks you are starving)
Cortisol: Activates your flight or fight response, which is great for a short period, but you do not want to stay there!
High Levels: Stress addict - Chronic fatigue - Weight gain around abdomen - Low immunity (catching everyone's colds) - Junk food cravings - Back and head aches - Low libido - Anxiety - Depression - Digestion issues (all the items in the pepto bismol song)
Low Levels (Hypoadrenalism): Depression - Lightheaded - Muscle weakness - Inability to deal with stress - Fatigue - Emotional extremes - Heart palpitations
Thyroid: The metabolism booster
High Levels: (Hyperthyroidism): Anxiety - Menstrual changes (lighter periods) - Muscle weakness in thighs or upper arms - Shaking - Weight loss - Thinning skin - Hair loss, thinning or brittle hair - Double Vision - Diarrhea
Low Levels (Hypothyroidism): Fatigue - Dry skin - Depression - Changes in menstrual cycle - Constipation - Sensitivity to cold - Weight gain - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Constipation - Dry hair or hair loss
Easy solutions (I like to try the easy way first!):
As you can see, many of the hormone imbalances have overlapping symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish which hormone is causing the issue. Below are easy and general ways to get your whole body in balance:Meditation (you will see this as a common theme throughout the blog). Meditation = less stress and less stress = harmony in all aspects of life. So it's a great place to start.
Less gluten. Choose quinoa or brown rice. Candida is a beast my friends, an overabundance of yeast wreaks havoc in the body.
Better sleep habits. Turn off cell phones and e-readers at least two hours before bed. The light is proven to lower melatonin which controls your sleep and wake cycles.
Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea daily... not only is this tea high in vitamin b, potassium, magnesium and iron (great for veggies like me!), it helps alleviate PMS, menstruation issues, heavy bleeding and even infertility. It's actually a great tea to drink while pregnant too! It can prevent miscarriages and morning sickness, and is believed to strengthen the uterus and pelvis muscles for easier delivery. All around great a tea.
I personally believe my issue is low progesterone, so I will try the above 4 suggestions, with the addition of iron and zinc supplements. I will meditate at least 3 times a week for 20 minutes, limit my gluten, turn off that e-reader at night and read a REAL book, and drink my raspberry tea daily (I pre-made a pitcher so I can drink it cold in the morning. I also added fresh lemon juice for taste and an immunity booster).
It starts today! I will check back in a month and let you know my progress! Wish me luck!!
