Women's health topic: Balancing Hormones

March is a month dedicated to women so I thought it would only be fitting to write about a common topic in women's health; hormones.

Hormones - they get such a bad rep, don't they?! These special chemical messengers control most major bodily functions and often seem to be a source of trouble for a lot of women.

Women of any age can be affected by hormone issues. Thanks to hormone imbalances, women who still have menstrual cycles may experience infertility, PMS, mood swings, anxiety, painful periods , just to name a few issues. Women in peri-menopause and menopause often experience hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, and accelerated bone loss related to hormone changes.

Other conditions associated with hormone imbalance include:

-weight gain

-depression

-osteoporosis

-low libido

-skin conditions, ie. acne

Sounds fun, right?

What's even more fun is how sensitive our hormones can be; even things like diet and stress can push our hormones out of balance. But there is good news in there; hormones are sensitive to change, meaning we can change them back too. Bringing back balance to our hormones is a possibility, but the first step is figuring out what is out of balance, and by how much.

Enter lab tests!

One particular test that I find useful in my practice is The Female Panel by RMA. It does a great job in helping sort out the specifics of the hormone imbalance.

"Saliva hormone testing is simple, accurate, and easily obtained. Five hormones make up the Female Panel: cortisol, DHEAs, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone. Interactions between these hormones are fundamental to health - which is why imbalances can have a significant impact on well-being." - from the RMA website

Knowing your hormone levels can help us find the right hormone balancing solution for you, contact us at Biologics Naturopathic Clinic to find out more!