What comes to mind when you hear the words “raging hormones?” For women, many picture a menopausal woman in the throes of a heat flash. Yet hormonal changes affect all of us, from a tiny baby to our last moments on earth.
For women, we can often see the most pronounced changes in our hormones while we’re pregnant, and again in our 40s and 50s as we approach menopause. But many women begin seeing these hormonal symptoms earlier, in their 30s and even 20s.
A lot of it has to do with the way we live. Our lifestyles and diets are conducive to setting us up for problems. Add in the pollution, toxins, and chemicals we’re exposed to every day, and you’ll quickly discover the perfect storm waiting to impact your body.
Common symptoms include:
Fatigue
Have you ever felt a mental fog? If you experience it again and again, it could be your hormones. Stabilizing your blood sugar by reducing or eliminating wheat and most grains could do the trick.
Anxiety
Are there days when you’re down and blue? Anxiety and depression are clues you have a hormonal imbalance. In most cases, your body isn’t being nourished the way it needs. You may be overworked, overstressed, or simply tired. Listen and give it what it wants.
Poor sleep
There is so much more to sleep than most of us realize. Sleep starts the cycle of physical stress. If you have insomnia or irregular sleep patterns, it’s increasing cortisol levels, which directly cause many hormonal imbalances. Put sleep at the top of your list of things to change.
Digestion problems
While digestion problems aren’t a direct contributor to hormonal issues, it can be a sign of not eating the right foods and gaining the right levels of nutrition. When you don’t have optimal digestion, your body isn’t receiving the vitamins and minerals it needs, which could impact your hormones.
Low libido
A low libido is one of the most noticeable symptoms of hormonal issues. And a low libido starts with low quality sleep. If your hormones are being produced at the right levels, it’s a sign you’re experiencing disturbed sleep.
While any of these symptoms can be linked to a variety of conditions, it’s important to learn how to ready your own body. With consistent effort applied to improving all aspects of your life, true holistic health is attainable.