How Balanced Hormones Affect Our Overall Health as Women
Raise your hand if you don’t know as much about your body as you’d like to. 🙋 I’ve always been a curious person. Asking too many questions, researching “all the things”, and wondering why my body is the way it is from a very early age. But it wasn’t until I was an adult that I started getting answers to my questions.
Though, I won’t deny the many conversations I had with my mom in the car about everything under the sun. She always answered my questions the best way she knew how. But, I still went many years not understanding the whole picture! Yes, I knew a period meant I could have babies but I didn’t understand the individual parts of my cycle. And I had no clue how my hormones affected my whole physiology.
So this is the article I wish I had! What are the signs of balanced hormones for women? And how do they affect everyday functions like sleeping or energy levels? And what happens when there is an imbalance?
Grab a notepad and let’s dive in!
Normal Hormone Cycles
Hormones are incredible little guys working tirelessly in your body. If you have taken any level of biology you know that our body cannot function properly without hormones. Hormones influence all major functions such as sleep, menstruation, ovulation, stress management, and digestion just to name a few.
Your endocrine system is responsible for releasing hormones and sending them off to various parts of the body where they perform specific functions for your overall health. Your hormone levels change throughout the day to attend to whatever needs are most pertinent.
You want hormones working optimally so that you can sleep at the right time, ovulate monthly, and then menstruate. Plus dozens of other functions that must occur to have a healthy and stable life.
Signs of Healthy Hormones
So what are the signs that your hormones are stable and working properly?
Sleep-wake cycles: When your hormones are stable you wake up easily and go to sleep easily. Everyone has their rhythms with some people waking earlier than others and some going to bed later than others but generally, your sleep cycles are reliable. Additionally, you have the energy to go about your day without stimulants — coffee, energy drinks, hits of sugar. Sure, a treat on occasion is nice but if you feel like you need it to make it through the day, something is off.
Hair and nail growth: The hormones that control your metabolism and reproduction also influence stable hair and nail growth — and clear, smooth skin — by encouraging collagen and elastin growth, balanced skin oil, and normal hair follicle production. Your hair, skin, and nails are a reflection of your inner health.
Smooth and regular bowel movements: This one may seem a little funny but bowel health is an indicator of hormone health. When you have regular and easy bowel movements it allows your body to excrete what it doesn’t need. Bowel movements are the main way to get rid of excess estrogen so when you’re constipated, your body holds onto estrogen, which creates a whole host of issues.
Consistent and easy periods: Contrary to mainstream belief, your period shouldn’t keep you in bed for a week straight. Yes, it’s the cycle of time when women should rest and respect the rest – I’ll have another article about that later! But feeling like your insides are on fire, having no energy to continue with daily tasks, or snapping at your husband are not signs of healthy hormones. When your sexual hormones are stable, ovulation and menstruation are just normal parts of life.
With all this in mind, do some reflection. Do you think your hormones are stable and working properly? If not, read on to see how you can encourage healthy balanced hormones.
How to Support Your Hormone Health
Our culture makes it sound difficult to support your hormones. Especially these days with so much noise around synthetic fragrances, plastic influences, and hormones in your food.
Don’t get me wrong; I 100% believe that synthetic fragrances, plastics, and hormones negatively influence your hormone health. BUT, I don’t think it needs to be talked about with quite as much fear-mongering and manipulation to get you to buy x,y, and z products.
Our lives require balance. In all things, we start with prayer and the sacramental life of the Church. From that flows the Christian life. There is a reason the Church gives us fasting, confession, and communion; all are necessary to find balance. And if we think we can have a healthy mind, body, and soul without addressing our relationship to Christ first, we are deluded. First and foremost, address your spiritual life before embarking on any sort of health reset journey.
Nutrition
Like it or not, your nutrition affects your hormone health. You are what you eat and your body can only work as well as you fuel it. So when you’re considering eating for balanced hormones, you want to eat the best you can afford. And instead of being bogged down by what you “can’t eat” try to think about what you can eat to feel your best.
So consider:
More protein
More hydration
More electrolytes
More raw dairy (if you have access)
More fruits
More veggies
More fermented foods (i.e. sourdough, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, etc)
More local food
Should you avoid processed sugar, wheat, soy, and dairy? Probably, the processing in the United States makes these foods poisonous for most of us. But if you can focus on getting more of what makes your body feel good you’ll be miles ahead in your health journey than if you focused only on what you shouldn’t eat.
Movement
Movement has always been a part of our lives and is essential for hormone health. God created us with bodies to move but since we live in a more comfort-driven society many people believe we have to leave our homes and go to the gym to work our muscles.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t get to the gym with four children and a home to take care of. But I can move my body throughout the day in a way that feels good. A 20-minute walk in the morning, a 15-minute pilates mid-day, while my kids crawl and play next to me, and running around outside with my kids after dinner all, contribute to the movement that our bodies crave!
So what can you add to your day to find joy in movement? It’s the small bits that count and add up to a stable hormonal life.
Sleep
Ahh sleep, I could use some of that right now. Sleeping is linked to healthy hormone patterns because it's in sleep that our body does so much work. When you sleep in a proper circadian rhythm your body can properly regulate your metabolism, growth hormone, leptin, ghrelin, and melatonin. This means that when you don’t sleep you may struggle with insulin sensitivity, weight management, hormone imbalance, and appetite dysregulation.
But I hear you, how do you sleep with a newborn or children who need you? Well, first you recognize the season you’re in and do the best you can. When the baby goes to sleep at 8 you go to sleep with him instead of staying up.
In a season of sleep deprivation, focus on the hours of sleep you can catch. It might not be as many as you’d like, but if you’re nourishing yourself with prayer, good food, and hydration, you’ll endure the season of less-than-ideal sleep.
Hydration
We all know that water is essential to life, but it can be hard to actively get enough hydration. But drinking water helps our blood circulation which is how hormones are transported. So when you drink water, you’re helping your body do what it needs to do.
Additionally, certain teas are great for balancing hormones. Teas are rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, and can help nourish and hydrate your body. Just be aware that teas with caffeine don’t offer hydration like non-caffeinated herbal teas.
Stress Management
Stress is unavoidable in life but we can do a lot to manage our stress intake. Simple habits like daily prayer, reading scripture, talking to your spouse or trusted friend, confession, and finding joy in simple moments can do a lot for your hormone health,
When your cortisol is high — the stress hormone — it’s difficult for your other hormones to do their jobs properly. Poor stress management is a sign of hormonal imbalance. But if you are proactive and take small, sustainable steps to manage and decrease stress, your hormones will thank you.
Emotional Support
God created us to dwell together, right? “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am also” Matthew 18:20. How much better do you feel after a hug, a snuggle, or a deep conversation? Emotional support is essential to balanced and healthy hormones. God created us to need companionship and support from one another. But it can often feel like we’re on a journey of our own.
We no longer live in villages with family, at least I don’t, so it's up to us to create relationships that support us. We aren’t meant to celebrate alone, nor are we meant to struggle alone. That’s why God gave us spiritual fathers, spouses, parents, siblings, and friends to help us celebrate the good and endure the bad.
Confiding in your loved ones with both the joys and struggles of life allows your body to relax and not carry the burden alone.
Signs and Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance
Say you actively do *all the things* to support your hormone health but you still think you have an imbalance. It shouldn’t be surprising that the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance are the opposite of when they’re healthy.
Skin issues: acne, rosacea, darkened skin, dry or itchy areas
Sleep abnormalities: unable to fall or stay asleep
Menstrual problems: lack of a period, irregular periods, absence of ovulation
Hair issues: dry or brittle hair, hair growth in abnormal places like chin, cheeks, or chest, or hair loss
Unstable moods: this may include PMS (premenstrual syndrome), depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or mood swings
Sexual problems: low libido or pain with sex
Bowel issues: constipation or loose stools
Drastic weight fluctuations
Some of these can find their root cause in a known issue, like pregnancy, that will eventually end and resolve itself. The rest have a root cause that likely needs a lifestyle change, supplement support, and/or dietary changes.
Some known causes of the above issues might be:
Hypo or Hyperthyroidism
Anemia
Cushing's syndrome
Tumors
Diabetes
Food sensitivities/allergies
Stress
Synthetic fragrances
Synthetic colors
Plastics
Processed foods
Neither of these lists are exhaustive. If something in your body feels off, it probably is! You are the best expert in you. So if you experience any of these symptoms don’t be afraid to ask questions.
I encourage you not to just settle for a pill to fix an issue. Finding the root cause of a hormonal imbalance will serve you much better in the long run. You don’t want to just put a bandaid on the issue you want to heal your body and live a full life.
It may take some time and lifestyle changes but you can heal your hormones!
Balanced Hormones Come With a Balanced Life
What does a stable and balanced life look like for you? Are you calm and patient with your children? Do you easily find intimacy with your husband? Can you stand for an hour-plus-long church service without feeling too tired?
You’d be surprised how much of our everyday functions depend on healthy and balanced hormones. But the good news is that it doesn’t take a lot to find balance!
Try to eliminate known toxins little by little. When your laundry detergent is empty, try finding one with no synthetic fragrances. When you’re craving something sweet, pair it with something rich in fat and protein. When your body craves movement but you don’t know where to start, simply get outside with your kids and kick a ball around.
Once you start, it’s nearly impossible to stop! So don’t lose heart if you think you have a hormonal imbalance. And if you are reassured that you are healthy and well, thank God. Use this one life to praise Him, love those around you, and relish in the simple joys of life.
