As you can see, a woman’s diet, level
of stress, relationship with family and
friends, habit of exercise, environment,
and a host of other factors contribute to
the quality of her life and, therefore, her
state of hormonal health. While
hormone imbalances can often go
ignored, it’s crucial for all women to
pay honest attention to how each
element of their lifestyle affects their
health — this way they can make
choices to eliminate or tweak any
aspects that are causing irregular
periods.
If you’ve been missing your period for a
while, speak to your doctor about
running some important tests.
According to a 2010 study, “Evaluation
and management of adolescent
amenorrhea ,” the essential laboratory
examinations you should request
include follicle-stimulating hormone
(FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH),
thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and
prolactin measurements. Your doctor
will also likely completely rule out
pregnancy and check for signs of PCOS
and early menopause through weight
changes, acne, hair growth and other
signs related to changes in androgen
hormone levels.
Many experts recommend a three-tier
treatment strategy for regaining your
period and hormonal health:
1. Make appropriate diet, lifestyle and
stress-reduction changes first.
2. Use natural herbs and remedies
when extra support is needed.
3. Only then consider trying hormonal
pills or procedures with a
healthcare provider, if need be.
Lifestyle changes to make include:
1. Reduce Stress
Use various lifestyle techniques that
are a natural remedy for anxiety in
order to combat stress, such as light
exercise, healing prayer or meditation,
essential oils, journaling, and
acupuncture or massage therapy. Few
studies have looked at the use of
acupuncture for treatment of
amenorrhea, but some preliminary
trials have found it helpful for women
who have widely separated menstrual
cycles.
You can also try taking adaptogen
herbs, which are a unique class of
healing plants that promote hormone
balance and protect the body from a
wide variety of stress-related diseases.
Adapotgens like maca root,
ashwagandha and holy basil help with
immune function and combat the ill
effects of stress. Ashwaganhda can help
heal thyroid and adrenal fatigue, for
example.
Also, consider if you should also re-
evaluate your need for intense
competitive exercise, drinking coffee
and using other stimulants, pushing
yourself too hard at work, under-
sleeping, and exposing yourself to toxic
or irritant pollutants. Remember that
rest and sleep are crucial for hormonal
balance, so don’t let an avoidable lack
of sleep run you down.
2. Improve Your Diet
Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods
is key to keeping your hormones in
check. You also want to be sure to
have plenty of short, medium and long
chain fatty acids that are essential
fundamental building blocks for
hormones. Some healthy fats to add to
your diet include coconut oil , nuts and
seeds, avocados, grass-fed butter, and
wild-caught fish like salmon.
Probiotics can also help your body
produce certain vitamins that affect
hormone levels like insulin. Some
probiotic foods and supplements to try
include: goat’s milk yogurt, bone broth,
kefir , kombucha and fermented
vegetables
.
3. Revaluate Your Exercise
Routine
Both too much and too little exercise
can be problematic for controlling
cortisol and stress hormones. If you
experience menstrual problems, trying
gentle forms of exercise in moderation
might be able to help the problem.
Focus on exercising as a way of
reducing stress rather than burning
calories to lose weight. Walking, yoga,
dancing, light resistance training, and
tai chi or qi gong are soft forms of
exercise that emphasize and support
gentle movement of the body. Doing
30-45 minutes most days can be
beneficial, but more than an hour daily,
or not giving yourself enough rest, can
trigger period problems.
4. Steer Clear of Environmental
Toxins
You can greatly eliminate toxins in your
body by avoiding conventional body
care products that are high in
hormone-disrupting ingredients like
DEA, parabens, propylene glycol and
sodium lauryl sulfate. These are all
related to altered estrogen production
and possibly thyroid and adrenal
issues, so check your skin care and
household product ingredient labels
carefully.
Also, try to use glass and stainless
steel kitchen equipment and containers
instead of plastic or Teflon whenever
possible in order to avoid BPAs,
hormone disruptors and other
chemicals.
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