An ancient adage from Chinese medicine says, “A doctor would rather treat ten men than one woman.” Chinese medicine validates what women have always known, we are indeed intricate creatures! Our hormones are in part responsible for this complexity. Their ebb and flow influence all aspects of a woman’s physical, emotional and mental well being.
When our hormones are in balance, they create a sense of inner well being and vitality. This inner harmony may be experienced as painless menstrual cycles or a symptom-free menopause. However, if those inner rhythms are altered, hormonal havoc ensues.
Why do hormones have such a profound impact on our health?
Hormones and Health
Hormones are very powerful chemical messengers secreted from endocrine glands such as the ovary, adrenals, pituitary, and thyroid. A woman’s physiology and psyche are intimately connected to her monthly flow of hormones, which stimulate, regulate, and control all vital bodily functions. Hormonal balance influences the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, reproductive. musculoskeletal and immune systems. Hormones also affect neurotransmitters determining moods and thinking processes. No wonder hormonal balance plays such a major role in maintaining optimal wellbeing throughout a woman’s life.
Two key sex hormones in a woman’s body are estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen is produced by the ovaries, adrenals and, even by fat cells.
At puberty, it is estrogen that causes breasts to grow and hips to get curvy. Estrogen also proliferates cell growth, stimulating the thickening of the uterine lining in preparation for implantation of an egg.
In fact, an overweight post menopausal woman produces more estrogen than a skinny pre-menopausal woman!
Progesterone is the dominant hormone produced in the second half of the menstrual cycle. It is the pro-gestation hormone necessary for a successful pregnancy. It also balances estrogen’s proliferative effect, signaling cells when to stop multiplying.
Estrogen and progesterone are dance partners, waltzing in rhythm and balance with each other. If that delicate balance is altered, many hormonal and health problems are created. Weight gain, high blood pressure, depression, mental fog, strokes, autoimmune diseases, breast cancer, and infertility are some of the problems either caused or worsened by their imbalance.
Life in the 21st century has hormonally challenged many modern women. Stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormones in meat and dairy products, estrogenic-mimicking chemicals, and the widespread use of the Pill and HRT have contributed to some of the highest levels of estrogen ever measured in women’s bodies.
Modern life has resulted in the scale tilting too much in favor of estrogen. The imbalance of an estrogen excess condition is known as estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance causes or worsens the following conditions: allergies, breast tenderness, low libido, depression, fatigue, hair thinning, fibrocystic breast disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, headaches, hypoglycemia, blood clots, strokes, infertility, irritability, memory loss, miscarriage, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, PMS, hypothyroidism, fibroids, bloating, weight gain (especially around the abdomen, hips and thighs), and autoimmune disorders.
Keeping Your Hormones on Track
A key to staying healthy is making sure you maintain hormonal balance. The most notorious hormone wreckers include: sugar and sugar substitutes, refined carbohydrates, trans fats, caffeine, pesticide laden foods, alcohol, dehydration, lack sleep, stress, emotional upsets, chemicals in commercial personal care products, and lack of exercise. These hormone wreckers are guaranteed to compromise your health, imbalance your hormones and accelerate the aging process.
A hormone harmonizing program includes organically grown, whole foods, plenty of fresh vegetable, fruits, seeds and nuts, healthy fats, (virgin olive oil, fish oils, flax seed oils, coconut oil and butter), filtered water, eating regular meals, getting 7- 8 hours of sleep, relaxation, staying hydrated and regular exercise.
Hormones also act as sensitive barometers underlying physiological imbalances.
For instance, a toxic liver, over-worked adrenal glands, or a Candida outbreak can quickly get hormones out of whack.
Wherever you may be in your life’s journey, there are four guidelines that will profoundly enhance ongoing health and hormonal harmony:
1. Support your liver
The liver plays a major role in the proper metabolizing of hormones, especially estrogen. Liver-loving foods include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, garlic, lemons, artichokes, and asparagus. Liver- loving herbs include milk thistle, dandelion root and turmeric.
2. Nourish your adrenal glands
The adrenals play a major role in hormonal balance, immune health, digestion, blood sugar balance and blood pressure inflammation control and mineral balance. Your adrenals are nourished by Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 (best taken in a B Complex), cod liver oil, and magnesium. The adaptagenic herbs such ashwaganda, rhodiola rosea and maca root provide excellent adrenal support. .
3. Strengthen your digestive system
A strong digestive system ensures that the food you eat came be readily absorbed by the body. Digestive strengthening foods include yogurt, kefir, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, and miso. Digestive enzymes are also helpful. Digestion is compromised by eating too quickly, not chewing adequately or eating cold foods and drinks. Foods that tend to create an inflammatory response in the gut such as gluten foods ( wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt ) , sugar and pasteurized dairy products will interfere with digestion.
4. Balance Blood Sugar Levels
Making sure that each meal is glycemicly balanced ( i.e. eating complex carbs with protein and healthy fats) ensures a slow release of blood sugar into the body. Spikes in blood sugar will increase inflammation which , in turn, will increase estrogen excess and storage of abdominal fat. Blood sugar surges will also negatively affect the adrenals and liver. This will exacerbate hot flashes, insomnia and depression.
The Perimenopausal Transition
During the forties, a woman begins the transition into perimenopause, the 5-10 year period before the onset of menopause. Contrary to popular belief, this is a time when the ovary, rather than winding down, is more active than it has been since adolescence. Consequently, perimenopause is a time of excess estrogen and declining progesterone. This hormonal is behind unpredictable moods, heavy flow, hot flashes, night sweats, headaches and weight gain that often occurs at this time.
Since a 40-something woman, is more susceptible to estrogen excess, bio- identical progesterone is helpful in regaining hormonal balance.
At this time, the digestive system becomes less efficient. Adding digestive enzymes, and probiotics will strengthen digestion. The thyroid can also become sluggish. . Magnesium, selenium, iodine, and Vitamin A help thyroid function. Liver-loving foods and chaste tree (vitex) help balance excess estrogen levels.
Eating organic whole foods, proper nutritional support and regular exercise are especially important for this decade. .
Menopause – a New Beginning
The fifth decade is the time for initiation into menopause, a stage of deepening wisdom. Officially, menopause occurs when a women completes 12 months without a menstrual cycle. Since the menopausal woman has stopped menstruating, her hormone levels begin to alter and the adrenal glands become her primary source of hormonal support.
At this stage, women must make wise dietary and life style choices to adequately nourish the endocrine glands. To support this transition, strengthening the adrenals, detoxing the liver and improving digestion is necessary for balance.
Since progesterone declines much more precipitously than estrogen, using natural progesterone provides the body with much needed support and especially helps to alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, headaches, insomnia, poor memory and concentration , support for the adrenals and thyroid glands. Progesterone also plays a major role in healthy bone metabolism and helps to prevent osteoporosis.
Vaginal dryness is more prevalent at this time. Increasing essential fatty acids such as fish oil and Vitamin E as well herbs such as Shatavari and Maca will help.
A woman’s journey through life is one of hormonal change and transition. Learning to support our bodies with foods, herbs and life style, will make this journey a wonderful adventure.
Contributed by: Sherrill Sellman, N.D., Naturopathic Doctor (Board Certified in Integrative Medicine),
Can you recommend where to get bio- identical progesterone. Thank You!