Tips for Balancing Your Hormone Health at Every Age

SHARE

We tend to talk about hormones a lot when it comes to puberty, fertility and menopause but the fact of the matter is that hormone balance is important at any age.  Women go through many different life changes that can impact hormone health so understanding those changes is an important part of managing hormones throughout the years.  Many women visit their doctor and complain about things like exhaustion or fatigue, weight gain, infertility, skin problems, lack of sex drive, depression, anxiety, mood swings, and more but what they do not realize is that many of these symptoms or problems are directly related to hormone health.  Though some of these things require medication, many can be diminished or completely managed by simply addressing hormonal imbalance and actively working to maintain hormone health.

Hormonal Balance for Reproductive Health

Managing hormonal health can feel overwhelming and consuming but even some small lifestyle and diet changes can dramatically improve hormone balance.  As the Office of Women’s Health notes, most women suffer from PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) symptoms and many women suffer from PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder), “The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates that at least 85 percent of menstruating women have at least 1 PMS symptom as part of their monthly cycle…  Others (about 3 to 8 percent) have a more severe form of PMS, called premenstrual dysphoric (dis-FOHR-ik) disorder (PMDD).”  Some of the simplest ways to manage hormones for optimal reproductive health is to limit sugar and caffeine, particularly as menstruation approaches.  Diet should also include lean meats, vegetables and fruit. Additionally, a consistent active lifestyle with routine exercise can also help relieve symptoms and better balance hormonal health. One often overlooked way to manage hormones is to get adequate sleep – ideally 7-9 hours each night.  There are also some important vitamins that all women of reproductive age should incorporate into their diets, whether through food or supplements which include Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil, fish, flaxseed, hempseed, olive oil, etc.), Vitamin D (sun exposure, Vitamin D supplements, fish, liver, egg-yolk), Vitamin B6 (Vitamin B6 supplement, poultry, nuts, legumes, potatoes, bananas), and more.

Hormonal Balance for Pre and Post Menopause

Many women that enter menopause experience things like weight gain, hot flashes, decreased sex drive, low energy and more.  These things are all directly linked to a hormonal shift occurring within the body. Similar to reproductive health, menopausal health can be managed by lifestyle choices that include exercise and nutrition.  Though it may be tempting to reach for a piece of chocolate after a hot flash, it is best to limit or eliminate sugar from your diet.  As estrogen and progesterone change, a naturopathic physician such as Dr. Tellier can provide alternative therapies that include herbal supplements, lab services and Hormone Replacement Therapy to address those hormonal changes.  When those hormonal changes are directly addressed and managed, many experience a relief from symptoms such as insomnia, hot flashes and migraines.  Though managing hormones may feel like a full time job, with some simple changes to diet and lifestyle, you can experience a relief from symptoms that allows you to more fully enjoy your life.