Hormone Harmony
Have you been feeling a little out of wack lately, or getting weird symptoms creeping into your menstrual cycle, or has your period gone totally awry? Hormone imbalances can cause an array of symptoms that can impact your day to day life.
Things like period pain, PMS, emotional imbalances, migraines and irregular cycles are not normal. These things are your body‘s way of telling you that something is out of balance and I have a sneaking suspicion that your hormones could be to blame.
Stress, poor diet, overwork, over-exercise and environmental toxins can all contribute to hormone imbalance and crisis. And we are not just talking PMS, in a lot of cases this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reproductive health concerns. There is a growing occurrence of PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid issues, adrenal dysfunction and unexplained infertility.
As an acupuncturist with a keen interest and background in women’s health I regularly treat the symptoms of these health conditions. In most cases the presenting symptoms can be varied and at times complicated, however they can mostly be improved naturally or in conjunction with medical interventions. But it takes time, a multifaceted treatment approach, hard work and an appropriately qualified practitioner.
I’m a firm believer that we can’t expect the outcome to change unless we change our behaviours. It’s the small things that we do each day that impacts our health, not the things we do occasionally.
I could write a very long book on this subject, but today I just wanted to share with you my three top tips to kick start good hormonal health at home. And they are super easy!!
Diet
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or make things complicated with your diet. Start by adding some more green vegetables from the cruciferous family into your diet (broccoli, spinach, collard greens, cabbage etc) or get a good greens powder. Also sprinkle some seeds on your salads or add them to smoothies – flaxseeds, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, hemp seeds etc. These foods help to support good hormonal balance.
Stress
Life is stressful, we can’t avoid it, the trick is to learn to manage our stress. Good hormonal balance comes from happy and calm adrenal glands, so start by consciously winding down from your day with a solid evening routine – turn off the screens, read a good book, take a hot bath with epsom salts and lavender oil, do a yin yoga class, start a journal or gratitude diary or relax with a ten-minute mediation before bed. Anything that gets you calm and breathing deeply will make a world of difference to your hormonal health and the bonus is a good night’s sleep!
Environmental toxins
They are the hidden villain when it comes to hormonal health, and they are everywhere! Exposure to too many toxins with a reduced ability to detoxify can wreak havoc with your hormones, and this is very much an increasing issue in women’s health. Start by making good choices when it comes to the products that you consume, put on your skin and breathe in every day. Simply swapping your everyday products with a low tox option can make a world of difference. There are options for every budget, do your research, get interested in the ingredients in the products you use and reduce toxins where possible, your hormones will love you for it. Nourished Life is a great website to start your low tox journey with.
If you feel like you need further support in this area a Chinese Medicine consultation can help get to the bottom of your personal hormonal woes, Acupuncture is amazing for hormonal balance, plus we can help with individualised treatment plan, including diet, lifestyle advice and recommend supplements to get you back into balance and feeling amazing.
Maryanne xx