HOW HORMONES AFFECT THE WAY

 YOU FEEL

Hormones can affect your mood –

Hormones are powerful chemicals that help keep our bodies working normally. Hormones stimulate, regulate, and control the function of various tissues and organs and are involved in almost every process in the body, including sexual reproduction, growth, metabolism, and immune function. The pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands, ovaries and testes, all release various hormones into the body as needed.

Neurotransmitters from the brain control virtually every system in the body and have an affect on hormone levels. When these neurotransmitters are out of balance from stress, poor diet, or genetic predisposition, the body cannot maintain proper levels of key hormones, causing an imbalance.

Symptoms such as depression, mood swings, low libido, and lack of energy can occur in response to these fluctuating levels of hormones.

How your Oestrogen levels and Moods are connected-

Oestrogen has an effect on your mood due to its ability to increase serotonin, and beta-endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Studies have shown a link between lowered levels of oestrogen and panic attacks. Many women may develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mood swings during peri-menopause and at menopause as oestrogen levels begin to fluctuate and decline. Too many women who suffer from menopause and depression have then been put on anti-depressant medications instead of addressing the key issue of the hormone imbalance.

Excess levels of oestrogen (oestrogen dominance), can also cause many symptoms. Oestrogen dominance is where you may have normal or low levels of oestrogen and relatively low or extremely low levels of progesterone.

The imbalance between oestrogen and progesterone has been contributed to by our increased exposure to pesticides, herbicides, plastics, and PCB's over the past 50 years or so.

The hormone progesterone plays an important role in reproduction. This hormone prepares our body for pregnancy and helps keep oestrogen levels in check.

Insomnia, anxiety, and migraines are some of the conditions linked to an imbalance of progesterone and oestrogen. Whereas oestrogen has an excitatory effect on the brain, progesterone's effect is calming.

A Naturopath can help you to find out whether you have a hormone imbalance by doing a thorough investigation into your health, which may include a referral for hormone testing.

There are a number of herbs which have been shown to have an effect on the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These herbs are best prescribed by a qualified naturopath who has been trained to use herbal medicine. Your nutritional status may also have an impact on your reproductive hormone’s, so nutritional supplements or a particular diet may be prescribed for you. And lastly, the way you live your life may be greatly impacting on what is going on in your body, so some changes may be suggested, within what is reasonable for you to achieve.

Symptoms of low estrogen:   Symptoms of xs oestrogen:

Hot flushes                                Heavy Bleeding                       

Depression                                       Breast Tenderness

Memory Lapses                                 Increased premenstrual symptoms

Headaches                                        Fibrocystic Breasts

Vaginal Dryness                                Ovarian Cyst

Irregular periods                              Excess abdominal weight

Urine Leakage                                   Anxiety, Irritability

Sleep Problems                                  Water Retention

Bone Density Loss                             Increased Triglyceride Level