Mood swings, sugar cravings, emotional hypersensitivity … a woman’s prerogative? Or just her hormones …
Menstrual cycle should really pass by nearly unnoticed.
Estrogen & Progesterone
A woman’s body is ruled by hormones – all through her cycle. Follicle stimulating, Luteinising hormones, Estrogen and Progesterone – the main hormones that create and mature an egg each month, making her able to give life.
Mood Swings Unnecessary
But this cycle should really pass by nearly unnoticeable. A bit more adventurous around ovulation, and a bit more introverted during menses – but nothing major.
Ratio of Estrogen to Progesterone Balance
If you struggle with bloating, headaches / migraines, terrible PMT, cry for no reason and suffer with cramps through your menses you have hormonal imbalances: namely your Estrogen to Progesterone ratio is outbalanced.
Fat Cells also Create Estrogen
It is very easy to get to the stage of estrogen dominance. Beside the maturing ovaries our fat cells create Estrogen as well – therefore the more fat cells you have, the more likely you are Estrogen dominant; while Progesterone is really only produced by the sack called Corpus Luteum that the matured egg has left in the ovary after ovulation.
Good Diet is Key
The health of that sack determines the amount of progesterone produced that month – and because an egg is maturing for three months, you have three months good or bad nutrition to help it along – and it does need a good amount of specific nutrients for its proper structure that needs to be supplied from our diet.
Stress Reduces Progesterone
A small amount of Progesterone is produced in the Adrenal glands also, but if we have to deal with any bit of stress, chances are it is converted to stress hormones, helping our body cope.
Fertilised Egg Needs Progesterone
Good amount of Progesterone is necessary not only to keep our moods steady and our periods nearly joyous, but it is required to keep the fertilised egg in the uterus for the first few weeks, until the placenta is formed and take that job over. Low progesterone levels and estrogen dominance are therefore behind lot of miscarriages.
Constipation May Cause Imbalances
The liver is the centre for hormone balance, it makes up and breaks down hormones and excrete excess into the bile that is ready to leave our body. However, in case of slow bowel movements (constipation) – these hormones can be re-absorbed, dosing our body with excess.
Constipation results in hormones being re-absorbed.
Chemicals May Cause Imbalances
Chemicals in water and inorganic foods can also have an estrogenic effect on our body; hence they’re called Xenoestrogens, disrupting the sensitive balance.
Get the Nutrients You Need
A wholesome, personalised diet supplying the necessary nutrients and supporting liver function to get rid of excess can help the body get back to homeostasis.
Contributors to Estrogen Re-absorption
If nutrient absorption is compromised by digestive disorders or food allergies, and altered bowel flora contribute to the re-absorption of excess estrogen, it will naturally result in imbalances and a very uncomfortable period time.
A naturopathic treatment always starts with a thorough investigation to find the root of the problem, whatever the health concern may be. We are all very individual: as there are no two snowflakes alike, neither are any two human bodies. Once we found the cause, with a tailor made menu plan and herbal supplement regime your body can be gently ushered back to health – without side effects.
