…But what type of hormonal imbalance?

Our hormones can be very confusing and women seem to be constantly at the mercy of them being out of balance.  

So how do you know which one is out of whack? 

Well, in order to fix your hormonal imbalance you need to establish which hormone is causing the issues. 

Hormonal ImbalanceHopefully, this blog post will help to demystify this so you can have a better handle on which of your hormones are out of kilter and then you can start to take action in fixing the problem.

Firstly, let’s talk about Progesterone. This is probably the most commonly talked about hormone when it comes to fertility issues. This is because it’s the pregnancy hormone; as the name suggests it is the pro-gestation hormone. One of its key jobs is to hold a pregnancy in place. But how do you know if your progesterone is too low? Well, you may have some of the following symptoms:

 

 

  • Agitation or PMS
  • Cyclical headaches
  • Painful, swollen breasts
  • Irregular menstrual cycles or cycles coming too frequent
  • Heavy or painful periods
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Easily disrupted sleep
  • Itchy or restless legs
  • Increased clumsiness or poor coordination
  • Miscarriage in the first trimester
  • Bloating and fluid retention around ankles and abdomen

I’ve listed below some action steps you can put in place to help. However, individualised homeopathic treatment from a fully qualified practitioner is the best treatment. 

In addition, you can do the following:

  • Support the adrenals, thyroid and liver (detoxing the liver as well) removing all toxicity in your environment i.e: skincare and beauty products as these burden the liver too, switch to as many natural products as possible (check out this blog post for more information on natural products).
  • Remove all Caffeine and Alcohol from the diet (Alcohol and Caffeine disrupt the livers’ ability to clear hormones; triggering more imbalance)
  • Take supportive herbs such as Vitex, Vervain and Saffron
  • Take nutrients such as Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium and B Vitamins

Signs of High Androgens (like testosterone) can be linked with PCOS and poor ovulation. Look out for many of the following symptoms:

  • Excess hair on your chest
  • Acne
  • Greasy skin
  • Thinning head hair
  • Discolouration of your armpits
  • Skin tags on neck and upper torso
  • Unstable blood sugar
  • Depression, anxiety, fatigue, lethargy and moodiness
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Mid-cycle pain
  • Infertility
  • PCOS
  • Low sex drive

Solutions include:

  • Remove refined sugar completely from your diet (high blood sugar can cause irregular ovulation)
  • Reduce stress levels and increase relaxation
  • Support the liver
  • Exercise regularly
  • Reduce dairy in the diet
  • Increase fibre in the diet
  • Take herbs like Saw Palmetto, liquorice and white peony
  • Take supplements like NAC, Inositol, zinc, omega 3, Vit D and magnesium (70% of the populations are deficient in magnesium)

Signs of excess oestrogen include:

  • Bloating, puffiness or water retention
  • Abnormal smear tests
  • Gall bladder issues
  • Rapid weight gain, particularly in the hips and bottom
  • Increased bra-cup size or breast tenderness
  • Fibroids, endometriosis, heavy or painful periods
  • Mood swings, PMS, depression or just irritability
  • Weepiness, sometimes over the most ridiculous things
  • Mini breakdowns or anxiety
  • Migraines or other headaches
  • Insomnia

Solutions include:

  • Supporting the liver to metabolise oestrogen
  • Supporting the gut for oestrogen removal
  • Eat only organic food
  • Limit dairy intake
  • Remove alcohol
  • Take the herb Milk Thistle to support the liver

Signs of low thyroid include:

  • Hair loss, including the outer third of eyebrows
  • Dry skin
  • Dry straw-like hair that tangles easily
  • Thin, brittle fingernails
  • An additional few pounds that you just can’t lose
  • Fluid retention or swollen ankles
  • High Cholesterol
  • Bowel movements less than once a day or it’s difficult in some way when you do go
  • Recurrent headaches
  • Decreased sweating or sensitivity to cold
  • Muscle or joint aches or poor muscle tone
  • Tingling in your hands or feet or cold hands and feet

Solutions include:

  • Support the liver (eat liver loving foods like greens, leafy veg, brassica’s, garlic, onions, turmeric and citrus)
  • Support the gut (introduce fermented food into the diet, dry brushing, hydration, deep breathing and lymphatic massage).
  • Remove gluten and goitrogens from the diet (gluten can trigger auto-immune thyroid conditions)
  • Remove Soya as can inhibit thyroid function
  • Detox bromides, fluorides and chlorides
  • Eat seaweed
  • Take the herb Ashwagandha
  • Nutrients like Iodine, Selenium, Zinc (regulates Oestrogen and Progesterone, is often low in foods so good to supplement), Vit D (found in liver, egg yolks, fish, wild mushrooms and the sun)

Hopefully, this blog post has helped you identify which specific hormonal imbalance you may be struggling with so you can support your fertility. As mentioned above, the best way to support your hormones is to have individualised homeopathic treatment by a qualified practitioner. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.