Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms – Millions of people suffer from symptoms that they would have never guessed are related to hormonal imbalances. Balance is key to a life full of vitality and thrive.
When we’re imbalanced, chronic diseases like PMS, anxiety, depression, even cancer take center stage. In this article, Dr. Rob lists the top 5 signs that you may be dealing with a hormonal imbalance.
Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms
5 Signs Your Issue Is Linked To An Imbalance
1) Continual Weight Gain Despite Exercise and Diet
Your metabolism is controlled by your hormones, it’s not the exercise that causes the weight loss, it’s the exercise that causes the production of specific hormones that will cause you to lose weight.
These fat burning hormones are released from your glands and if the gland is damaged you are not going to be able to produce the fat burning hormones. As a result, it will be harder for you to lose weight and keep it off. This is why some people can eat whatever they want, don’t exercise, and have the body you have always wanted. Interestingly enough, research has shown us that certain hormones, like insulin and cortisol, lead to fat storage.
Therefore if you are having troubles losing weight or gaining weight despite an honest effort, then it may very well be a sign your hormones are out of balance.
Here’s an example of one of our patient’s whose weight and health issues were partly related to hormones.
“I lost 52 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 6 within about 7 months! I have a better outlook on life and I’m happier and have a better attitude. My sleep has greatly improved, my skin is healthier, my hormones are also balanced, which made menopause more bearable. I’m off my medications and have more energy.”
2) Suffering From Fatigue
Hormonal imbalance symptoms, specifically adrenal and thyroid imbalances, are a major cause of fatigue.
The adrenal and thyroid gland work hand-in-hand to support your energy levels, so it’s important to understand exactly how they are functioning. In our clinic, we see many patients who suffer from fatigue. I believe the number one cause of fatigue, is stress (emotional, biological, chemical, and physical).
The fact is, we all have stress, but each of us has a different breaking point. Therefore, it’s important to understand how unknown stresses such as infections, food sensitivities, and toxins, can add to your total stress levels.
3) Abnormal Menstrual CycleCramping, irritability, PMS, and heavy prolonged menses are often believed to be a normal part of a women’s menstrual cycle. On the contrary, a normal women’s cycle should have very little cramping, with only a minor change in mood.
The menses (bleeding) portion should be 4-5 days long, light red, and with no clots. Many of the patients we see in our clinic report they have never had a normal menstrual period. Upon further investigation, we discover an imbalance in the progesterone and estrogen levels.
Fortunately, these can be easily remedied with a few lifestyle, dietary and supplement recommendations.
4) Problems with Digestion and Loss of Sex Drive
While our ancestors were being chased by a predator, their body would switch from the ‘feed and breed’ mode to the ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. During this stress response, cortisol and adrenaline would be released from their adrenal glands.
Their bodies would also shift the blood from the digestive and reproductive system to the arms and legs, which would essentially shut down the digestive and reproductive systems. This further enhanced their performance. When things calmed down, cortisol secretion decreased, along with blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and blood flow redirected to the stomach and reproductive system. Unfortunately, our bodies cannot do both at the same time.
Here’s an example whose intestinal symptoms improved as she became healthy and her hormones went into balance.
“My need for acid reflux medication is almost non existent and I am off my aciphex medication. I lost 84 pounds and I’m also sleeping so much better!”
5) Brain Fog, Anxiety, Depression and Sleeplessness
Hormone imbalance symptoms also affect our moods, sleep and memory.
Almost anyone who has suffered from a thyroid problem, before being treated, will complain of mood swings, brain fog, depression and sometimes anxiety.
Why is this? Certain hormones are essential for brain function. For example, when estrogen is high it can result in anxiety. Conversely, progesterone is more of a calming hormone and when balanced it will help a person feel very calm and sleep well.
Acute elevations in cortisol can temporarily improve short term memory. However, elevations in cortisol over a long period of time can actually cause memory loss.
Testosterone at high levels can lead to irritability or rage but a lack of testosterone can lead to apathy and lethargy. The key with these hormones isn’t to figure out which ones are low and then prescribe a hormone or natural hormone replacement. It’s more important to discover why these particular hormones are low or high.
Where Do I Begin?
With hormonal imbalance symptoms plaguing the world, many women turn to hormonal treatments. These include treatments such as bio-identical hormones/birth control, pain, anxiety and depression medications, and even surgical interventions. Because these interventions sometimes fail to address the true cause of the women’s hormonal imbalance, many women continue to suffer and in many cases, their conditions worsen, which can lead to more serious diseases and illness later down the road.
At AlternaCare we use a unique Hormonal and Weight Loss Exam Procedure and specially designed, affordable, holistic labs that are able to detect subtle change and imbalances in hormones. Once the true imbalance has been detected, we then create a customized dietary and nutritional supplementation program to support hormonal balance, weight loss (if needed) and improved health.
Much Love,
Dr. Rob
