Hormonal imbalance Natural treatments

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women:

·         Irregular Periods

·         Sleep problems (Progesterone, a hormone released by your ovaries, help you fall asleep. If your levels are low that can make it hard to fall and stay asleep)

·         Chronic Acne

·         Foggy brain

·         Diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, or nausea (Your gut is lined with tiny cells called receptors that respond to estrogen and progesterone. When these hormones are not in balance, you might notice changes in how you’re digesting food.)

·         Feeling moody and depressed

·         Weight gain

Hormonal imbalance leads to conditions such as:

·         PCOS

·         Endometriosis

·         Female Infertility

·         Fibroids

·         Fibrocystic breast

·         Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycles)

·         Oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstrual cycles)

·         Acne

·         Depression

·         Heart Disease

Natural treatments for hormone imbalance:

Decrease the intake of & exposure to harmful compounds (xenoestrogens)

Xenoestrogens are man-made chemicals that imitate female hormone estrogen in your body. These substances are close in molecular structure to estrogen. For this reason, they bind to estrogen receptor sites and alter hormonal functioning in a woman. This can further increase PMS symptoms and increase the odds of infertility. It can also affect any other medical condition in which hormonal dysregulation plays a role in.

 Xenoestrogens are commonly found in the following substances. It is best to avoid common sources such as:

·         Nail polish, soaps, gels, hairsprays, and lotions

·         Plasticized receipts

·         Pesticides

·         Plastic bottles (hard and soft), liner on canned goods, plastic cookware,

·         Flame retardants

·         Dry cleaning solvents

Improve natural liver metabolism/excretion of hormones 

The liver is responsible for 40% of detoxification. For this reason, it is important to ensure the optimal functioning of the liver. This way hormones can be excreted properly.

The liver detoxification process can be achieved by making changes to your diet. Using herbal supplements also helps with estrogen clearance from your body.

·         Herbs such as Rosmarinus officinalis, also known as rosemary, help with estrogen metabolism. Rosemary has added beneficial effects on memory.

·         Curcuma longa found in turmeric also helps with liver detoxification. (Helps with phase I & II liver detoxification)

·         Herbs acting on the liver improve liver enzyme activity and increase estrogen clearance. Silybum Marianum, also known as (milk thistle), is one of the most commonly used herbs for liver detox and estrogen clearance.

·         Eating more cruciferous vegetables and drinking green tea also helps with liver detoxification

Stay tuned for our next post, where I will be discussing other lifestyle changes and dietary supplementations may help balance your hormones.

BLOG written by Dr. Farnoush Khodarhami B.Sc., M.A., ND