WHAT HORMONAL IMBALANCE REALLY MEANS TO WOMEN

There are messengers in the body that works as triggers for body functions, they are called hormones. Hormones are like incredible chemical messengers that have effects on the vital organs like the heart, bones, brain, muscle, and reproductive organs, as they organize the working of every cell in the human body. Hormones are controlled by the endocrine system, they work well when balanced but can become unbalanced. The effect of this imbalance can affect things like your mood, weight, food craving, and even sexual desires. Its effect should not be underrated as it could range from a smooth drive in some women to total train wreck in some when the hormones go ‘uh ah’.

HOW IT HAPPENS:

You often envision raging menopausal women when “hormones” are mentioned, but it’s not always that drastic. Hormonal imbalance could be induced by many factors, some of the causes are:

• Sedentary lifestyle (lack of movement or exercise)
• Poor choice of food
• Inadequate sleep
• Taking synthetic hormones
• Higher than average levels of stress

SIGNS OF HORMONAL IMBALANCE:

For a lot of women, the pronounced changes occur in the 40s and 50s; however, it can be seen as early as the mid-30s too. These may not be due to lifestyle and diet alone, but the presence of pollution, toxins, and xenoestrogens that we’re constantly exposed to. Some common symptoms of hormonal imbalance are:

• Persistent weight gain.
• Belly fat and loss of muscle mass due to the stressed endocrine system
• Low libido because of disturbed sleep
• Fatigue
• Anxiety, irritability, and depression
• Insomnia and poor sleep pattern
• Night sweats and hot flashes
• Digestion problems
• Unhealthy cravings

Note that a lot of these symptoms are linked to other physical problems; therefore a simple blood test can help you discover if there are other underlying concerns. You should always do check-ups.
From PMS to menopause, these messengers of womanhood can affect a lot of things in the woman’s body. Women have the capacity to be affected greatly by hormone fluctuations. It could get so totally overwhelming that you might even feel like you’ve lost control of your life. Although, experts believe that mood swings and other symptoms do not necessarily indicate abnormal hormone levels exclusively. But some research reveals that certain hormone metabolites in the brain can cause the mood swings or that some women just metabolize hormones differently.

The endocrine system is complex and is a system we probably will never completely understand, but there are some basic things you can do to boost your body’s ability to create and balance hormones:

• Reduce intake of man-made fats, especially chemically altered fats
• Cut down on your caffeine intake
• Avoid toxins, especially those in pesticides, plastics, household chemicals, etc.
• Sleep! It cannot be overemphasized
• Take supplements wisely
• Exercise lightly and occasional heavy weight lifting
• Eat some coconut oil; it can be amazing for hormonal health.

If you apply constant effort to improve your diet and digestive health, stress management, consistent physical activity, and improved sleep, true holistic health is attainable.