hormone health
The idea of hormonal imbalance is circulating a lot around women’s health— no pun intended.
It appears that women’s health concerns such as hormonal acne, symptoms of PMS, fatigue or irregular periods are covered up with use of hormonal contraception such as the pill. So perhaps this rise come as more women understand the complexities of their bodies as they try to source the root cause of their concerns.
It is important to note that hormones fluctuate throughout our monthly cycle so peaks and troughs are normal, however if you are experience severe symptoms speak to you health care professional. A blood test can determine whether or not you have an imbalance which typically look into thyroid function, levels of oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol which may be performed at a certain point throughout your cycle. Your doctor may prescribe additional tests including urine, stool and saliva tests to determine how efficiently your body is metabolising and utilising hormone metabolites.
When it comes to hormonal irregularities some things to consider are your levels of stress and your sleep quality. These factors will increase cortisol, inflammation and reduce the bodies ability to repair, regulate and maintain proper metabolic functions. Additionally, diet has its place, poor gut diversity, insufficient energy intake, poor eating habits and nutrient deficiencies are something to be considered when finding the root of the problem.
Oestrogen Dominance
Oestrogen is a hormone vital in the regulation and development of the female body throughout every life stage. In most cases our bodies are good at regulating and producing endogenous oestrogen as required. So when we talk about an ‘oestrogen dominance’ it is typically due to other factors.
Synthetic forms of oestrogen—
Synthetic forms are found in everyday items such as cleaning products, plastics, body lotions and shampoos which enter the body externally. They mimic our bodies own form of oestrogen by binding to receptors and potentially creating an imbalance or ‘dominance’ Regulation, utilisation, metabolism & excretion of oestrogen
Regulation, utilisation, metabolism & excretion of oestrogen—
Once oestrogen is utilised by the body, ideally it will be metabolised and excreted from our system, however poor liver function, slow gut transit time or poor microbiome diversity increases the chance of reabsorption back into the blood stream. By increasing your liver health— alcohol, drugs and excess adipose tissue can add extra strain on the livers ability to detoxify the body. In the case of low liver metabolism, improving sleep hygiene, removing exposure to harmful external toxins and chemicals and avoiding processed or hormone fed meat. Adding herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion root and burdock can also support liver function as well as increasing fibre and water intake.
Testosterone Dominance
The dominance of testosterone can result in acne, irregular periods, PMS, thinning hair, low mood, irritability and increased or darkened facial hair. This can occur due to stress, inflammation, thyroid issues, irregularities in blood sugar or insulin resistance—
Insulin is produced in response to heightened or spiking blood sugars and can stimulate the production of testosterone, in order to maintain blood sugar and avoid irregularities. To avoid testosterone dominance, eat balanced, frequent meals to regulate blood sugars and avoiding processed foods. Magnesium, Vitamin D, omega fatty acids and zinc will regulate testosterone, as well as liquorice, cinnamon, turmeric spearmint, green & dandelion root tea.