During a woman's reproductive years, cycling hormones like estrogen and progesterone take part in an intricate dance. This interplay helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and prepare the body for potential pregnancy. Unfortunately, many factors can disrupt this beautiful rhythm. As a result, women often struggle with PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, and infertility during these years.
Holistic areas I focus on in this group include:
Optimizing vitamin/mineral levels
Balancing blood sugar
Optimizing detox pathways
Managing stress
Removing hormone disruptors from the environment
Addressing inflammation is key- and often stems from the gut. I often recommend my patients do an elimination diet for 30 days. This helps to identify any issues with common food sensitivities like gluten or dairy. Another route is performing a food intolerance test such as Cyrex. I also recommend taking a high-quality probiotic. This can help tune up the gut, decrease inflammation, and improve detoxification. Our gut microbiome plays a big role in how we metabolize and detox everything in our bodies- including our sex hormones.
A good multivitamin to bridge any nutrient gaps
Protein with each meal to help balance blood sugars
Omega-3-rich fish like salmon several times per week
Stress management
7-9 hours of sleep each night
I also encourage women to minimize xenoestrogens in their environment as much as possible. Xenoestrogens are chemicals that mimic estrogen and disrupt the endocrine system. These can lead to unwanted symptoms such as PMS, heavy periods, heavy cramping, fertility issues, and even cancer. (3) These can be found in plastics, cleaning products, hair products, makeup, lotions, deodorants, sunscreen, dryer sheets, perfume, pesticides, and insecticides. (4) Finding safe natural alternatives can drastically reduce your exposure and help normalize estrogen levels in the body.
Next in our series...
Happy Hormones Series IV: Perimenopause & Menopause
Happy Hormones Series V: Post Menopause