So, I’ve been a hormonal mess (hormonal imbalance) since the age of 21. At the time, I was so clueless about my body and was like “What are hormones?” I didn’t have a clue what was going on or how to help my body from feeling whacky! Yep. DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, etc. You name it- it’s been so imbalanced and crazy, which has led to hundreds of crazy symptoms including weight gain. So, now that my hormones are in tip top shape n’ fabulous, (and now that I’m pretty much a hormone expert from all the years I’ve been researching on how to heal my own hormones), I wanna share some info with you, ladies. Hormone imbalance is becoming so much more common because of the use of plastics, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics and herbicides found in our food supply that are disrupting hormones, causing thyroid issues and infertility. So, here’s a few symptoms below and a few ways you can balance those babies so you’re feeling fabulous, as you should be! Trust me, when your hormones are off, you’re not a happy camper and sometimes you don’t even realize it’s your hormones causing the symptoms since they can also be symptoms of other issues including stress, insomnia, etc.
Common Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance (This is just a short list, there are MANY more…)
- Missed periods
- Weight gain
- Cannot loose weight despite what you do/eat
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Miscarrage
- Infertility
- PMS symptoms (before your period such as cramps, mood swings, acne, etc.)
- Bloating, stomach issues such as constipation
- Food cravings
I only experienced a few of these symptoms and it honestly took me forever to realize it was HORMONAL and not the Lyme Disease or PCOS or Celiac disease or Stress causing these symptoms.
Pretty please, DO NOT get blood work done to test your hormones; that will NOT tell you the correct hormone levels. You must get a 24 hour saliva test to test all of your hormones and cortisol so that you can see the big picture of what’s going on inside your body.
So, if your hormones are imbalanced, here are a FEW (again there are TONS) ways to start getting those hormones back in shape:
- Eat LOTS of Cruciferous Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, Brussels sprouts, etc. because they will detox the hormones outaaaa your bod pod!
- Get at least 8-10 hours of sleep every single night. NO excuses. This is huge for hormone repair!!
- Avoid Parabens in your personal care products such as your shampoos, conditioner, soaps, etc. Here are a few pages for non-toxic personal care products without parabens: Non Toxic Beauty Products, Non Toxic Cleaning Products, and MORE!
- Get rid of ALL the plastic in your home; yes even the BPA-free plastic. Don’t use it for anything. Use glass or stainless steel instead.
- Try meditation and yoga to calm your hormones and your entire body. Breathe from your belly and not your lungs, that will signal your parasympathetic nervous system to take over and will release a calm vibe throughout your entire body.
xox
Hi Amy,
it’s been a long time since I’ve reached out to you. Did you do any bio identical hormone’s or herbal treatments to support your adrenals, cortisol or hormones? I have very low testosterone and estrogen, also I’ve been treated for Lyme with antibiotics for over 18 months! My testosterone is very low and fatigue is horrible. In the past I did some saliva iand urine tests, but I couldn’t find a Doctor who could help me treat them naturally. So I’m now considering bio identical to raise my estrogen and testosterone. I also take something called optimal adrenal which is helpful. I do yoga try to meditate, do infrared saunas, detox bath and body brushing when I remember! Also eat Paleo.
Any further info or resources you could share would be such a help. You are such an inspiration to me!
Thrilled to hear you have turned your health around!
I strongly disagree with using hormones; they screwed me up big time with progesterone cream. Work with an acupuncturist or energy work to get your liver/spleen/gut working and that will align your hormones. oxx
Thank you for sharing. I am dealing with some hormone imbalance issues myself. Could you recommend any good resouces? There is so much information out there, and it can be hard to know what is accurate and reliable. It feels like a daunting and overwhelming task, but I want to research a bit and try to understand the problem and a healthy approach to dealing with it.
Thanks Beka; try reading Sara Gottfried, MD’s books. She’s got lovely info!
Thanks for the recommendation! Will check her out.
Of course!
I had commented on IG but then realized if you wanted to send a link or two, it would be pretty useless in Instagram! I want to know more about parabens and plastic. I need more convincing about them. Thanks for any insight! ❤️
Bethany,
Read any books from Mark Hyman MD or Sara Gottfried MD or any other Integrative MD and they will all show you! ox