Estrogen
Estrogen can play a commanding role in hormone malfunction, especially if it becomes more dominant. This is called “estrogen dominance”. Wow. Rocket science, right?
In our 40’s and going into menopause, women often experience the symptoms of too much estrogen, and then find themselves going through alternating periods of too little. It’s a roller coaster ride with estrogen at the wheel.
What does this look like? Weight gain especially around the time of cycles, fatigue, heavier and longer periods, irritability, bloating, trouble sleeping, and just feeling overwhelmed.
Ultimately, it’s important to understand estrogen imbalance, which often results in inflammation — our body’s way of protecting itself. Inflammation is a disturbance in the body’s normal capacity to function that is similar to being ablaze. (Yes, that is a dictionary definition).
Other estrogen-related women’s health issues include:
- Fibroids
- Pelvic pain
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Weight changes
- Cognitive decline
- Sexual dysfunction
- Recurrent vaginal symptoms
Look at that list. Estrogen controls a lot of what we feel as women!
Besides estrogen, other hormones important to feminine health include progesterone, thyroid, cortisol, and testosterone. Progesterone is what I affectionately call the “police” of estrogen. It has more anti-inflammatory properties, and you can naturally increase progesterone by reducing excess estrogen to help restore balance. It can be used in formulations of pills or creams or by boosting it naturally through nutrition and exercise.
Our bodies are exposed to environmental elements in our food, fabric softeners, plastics, nail polish, pesticides — and that’s just to name a few — all of which disrupt the way our hormones interact with one another.
Remember, our bodies just want to stay balanced, or rather, more in harmony.
4 Building Block of Women’s Health
For every medical problem we face as females, there are four building blocks to better health in mind and body, principles that I like to call the 4Ds. For some of us, this process is simple to grasp; for others, it’s a bit more complex.
But that’s what I do. I take these principles and break them down into bite-sized pieces so it’s not so overwhelming. Think about it like your favorite meal. After taking the time and effort to prepare, cook, and eat it, you want to savor it. Every. Single. Bite.
So let’s dig in!
Detox
Skin is our body’s biggest organ. And sweating out waste and toxins built up in fatty tissue is best achieved through exercise. Burning fat and releasing toxins will prevent havoc in other vulnerable organs, like the brain. Find healthy activities to get moving, get sweating, and detoxify your body!
Declutter
Sometimes when life is at its busiest, it helps to take a step back, prioritize, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s finally getting to that book you wanted to read or actually cleaning out your desk, decluttering easily helps reduce excess stress.
Clear out space and discover what’s really important to you. To thine own self be true!
Detour
Feeling full and satisfied after a meal is pure joy to me. I have to admit I love good food, but I had to change my mindset. Is the food I’m selecting comfort food or nourishment? Is the portion larger than it should be? Take a detour and change your lifestyle to include healthy food options.
Destress
Cortisol, the “stress hormone”, is the only hormone that increases with age. It responds to stressors in life, and when elevated, cortisol changes the normal proportions of other hormones, as well — they either do not perform as well, or they compensate in a less desirable way.
I’ll show you how to take control of cortisol!
By detoxing, decluttering, detouring, and destressing, you may be surprised at how hungry your body actually is for balance and harmony.
Are you ready to take it back to the basics? I’ll help you take those first steps on your journey back to wholeness. Through careful assessments, including a medical history and possible diagnostic tests, I’ll help determine the source of your imbalance. Together, we’ll craft a plan of action that considers all of you — body, mind and hormones! We’ll look at the 4Ds, too, and carefully consider how we can implement lifestyle changes for a whole new you.
Desire to learn more? Let’s have a conversation, or visit the ‘Optimize Your Health‘ page to learn about my Future Female Power Reset Program.
