If there is one thing that most women complain about, it would be a hormonal imbalance. But what is a hormonal imbalance, what does it look like and what does it mean?
What is Hormonal Imbalance? – A Closer Look
Simply put, hormones are the chemical messengers in humans. They play an essential role in every woman's health and well-being. Any disruption in their activities and levels will have an impact on the body in more than one way.
Hormones are substances secreted by glands that travel inside your body to other organs and tissues. Hormonal imbalance happens when even small quantities of estrogen and progesterone hormones fluctuate. This imbalance can affect your weight, energy level, fertility, and state of mind. Studies show almost 80% of women suffer from some sort of hormonal imbalance during her life time.
Common Causes of Hormonal Imbalance in Women
Some common causes of hormonal imbalance in women are:
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Stress
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Poor nutrition
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Birth control pills
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Synthetic hormone replacement
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Polycystic ovarian syndrome
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Exposure to environmental toxins
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Eating estrogen pumped animal products
Hormonal imbalances tend to intensify as we age. If your hormones are in good balance, you'll have more energy and look and feel good. But when they are out-of-balance, you may experience a wide range of symptoms.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance
Skin Problems
If you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance… one of the things that you may experience is acne and other skin problems, as if it's puberty all over again. If your acne is deep and cystic, and topical creams are not working, it is most likely caused by an androgen. This kind of hormone causes the excessive production of oil, which is the culprit for your skin issues.
Your State of Mind
More so, a hormonal imbalance could also mean extreme changes of mood… especially before your monthly period. During the menopause, the hormones responsible for regulation of emotions can fluctuate. Estrogen is either below or above the right level. There are also fluctuations in the production of serotonin… Which is the reason why you might feel like more emotionally sensitive.
The fluctuations in the levels of your hormones can also have a negative impact on your sex life… especially because it is often associated with decreased libido. During perimenopause, there is a decrease in the level of progesterone and dominance of estrogen, which results in the lack of sex drive. This can also lead to vaginal dryness and the lack of tension from the vaginal muscles. This explains why women in the menopausal stage often complain about their sex life.
Aside from those mentioned above, your hormonal imbalance can also mean:
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Being more irritable
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Gaining weight
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Lacking focus
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Suffering from depression
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Difficulty sleeping
5 Ways To Tell If You Have Hormonal Imbalance
Consistent Weight Gain
If you eat well and exercise but are gaining weight in spite of your efforts, there's a likelihood that you may have a hormonal imbalance. When you have a hormone imbalance, it slows the ability of the body to metabolize and hence, you gain weight. Fat storage is usually around the midsection because as estrogen levels drop, body fat shifts from the hips and thighs to the belly region.
Desire to Eat More
When you have a hormonal imbalance, you may also notice that your appetite is harder to satisfy. Even if you have just had a meal, chances are, you would still want to eat more and have an appetite like a blue whale. This can be the result of an increase in the hormone, Ghrelin, which handles the stimulation of your appetite. Aside from always feeling hungry, you also tend to have unusual cravings like a pregnant woman.
Lack of Sex Drive
Let’s face it, sex is our creative life force and is essential for a happy life. It's even linked to a wide array of health benefits. According to Ayurveda, sex is one of the three pillars of life. (Food and sleep are the other two.)But, when you're suffering from hormonal imbalance, you may notice a lack of libido. Regardless of whatever your partner does to ignite the fire, you may not feel the drive for sex.
This may be a result of the abnormal levels of estrogen, thyroid, and cortisol, which are all essential hormones in a woman’s body. Also, this may result in dryness of the vagina, making it uncomfortable when making love.
Mood Swings
You can also tell if you have hormonal imbalance if you have mood swings. At one moment, you are happy then all of a sudden you are sad. You get mad over the smallest things and you are often irritable. More often than not, people will just avoid you because of your mood swings. This can also lead to depression.
While these changes in mood can be a result of your monthly cycle… women with balanced hormones will be less prone to extreme highs and lows of their emotions. Your mood swings will especially peak if you are already at your menopausal stage.
Fatigue
Lastly, you can also tell you have imbalanced hormones if you experience fatigue often.More often than not, you would just like to take a nap and lounge on your bed. You often feel tired because of cortisol, which is also known as the hormone responsible for the stress that you are feeling.
Your chronic stress can elevate the levels of cortisol, and hence, make you feel tired all the time. This may also result from the lack of sleep because of the fluctuations in your hormones.
Relief is Within Reach
Hormonal balance is necessary for good immunity and health. Fortunately, hormonal imbalance is not a problem without a solution. There are different natural and holistic treatment options available depending on the severity of the problem.
The most recommended advice from wellness professionals is a holistic lifestyle that includes:
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Exercise
Good nutrition is of the utmost importance. Make sure to reduce processed foods, especially refined sugars. Taking a diet of wholesome, organic foods with lots of fruits and vegetables will help to regulate your hormones.
Also, read our review of The Ayurvedic Woman, a new Ayurvedic program that explains the Ayurvedic perspective a women's health:
The Ayurvedic Woman – Experience Symptom-Free Health
Hi Jackie,
Am glad to have found this article. I may not be going through this phase now but it is definitely the right time to read about it.
I have heard a bit about hormonal imbalance but never knew that poor digestion is one of the common causes. Whenever my mood changes my better half always teased me of my hormone stability.
Thanks for your advice/solution on hormone imbalance.
Good Day!
Sharon
p/s: I love your website design and layout. Very pleasant.
Hi Sharon, Thanks for connecting. Poor digestion is the cause of most imbalances, so whenever you notice any symptom happening, start with taking a look at how well you are digesting. Here are tips on how to digest well: https://motherofhealth.com/imp…
Very informative website. I’ll have to get my wife to check it out too. You provide a lot of good information here and well illustrated too with your visuals. I agree with you that a lot of women, and men too, have a hormonal imbalance of some sort. Doctors don’t always check for it in their examinations. You have a very well designed site. Good luck with it.
Thanks for the feedback and read Mick! I appreciate it.
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Thanks for visiting the website Stephanie.
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