300 likes | 450 Views
Hormone Balancing for Women. Dr. Melanie MacIver, ND. Topics . About hormones Benefits of balanced hormones Causes of hormone imbalance Bio-identical hormones L ifestyle and nutrition tips for balance Hormone health quiz Q and A. About Hormones.
E N D
Hormone Balancingfor Women Dr. Melanie MacIver, ND
Topics • About hormones • Benefits of balanced hormones • Causes of hormone imbalance • Bio-identical hormones • Lifestyle and nutrition tips for balance • Hormone health quiz • Q and A
About Hormones • Chemical messengers in the blood responsible for metabolism, energy, reproduction, growth, mood, hunger, immunity and more • Intricate web of communication between everyhormones and the nervous system, and all actions of the body • Production begins to decrease in middle age and continues in a linear fashion until old age
Balanced Hormones • Wake up feeling rested • Energy all day • Clear skin and full hair • Ideal weight • Healthy sex drive • Regular cycles for women • Good cognitive function • Balanced cholesterol • Good immune system and healing capacity
Signs of Hormone Imbalance • Anxiety • Depression • High cholesterol • Osteoporosis • Low sex drive • Hot flashes • PMS • Blood sugar issues • Concentration difficulties • Inflammation • Sleep disturbances • Allergies • Water retention • Infertility • Hair loss • Miscarriages • Irregular menses • Abdominal fat
How Did My Hormones Become Imbalanced? • Imbalance is on the rise • The hormonal (endocrine) system is especially sensitive to the problems of today’s lifestyle • Toxic environment • High stress lifestyle
Toxic Environment • Dead and chemicalfoods hard to process • Numerous additives, preservatives, colourings, and flavourings in food • Heavy metals from environment blockhormone making enzymes • Estrogen mimicking plastics and pesticides bind strongly to estrogen receptors
High Stress Lifestyle • Stress is necessary to push us to perform. The problem is when stress is too high,prolonged or accumulates • The stress hormone cortisol has significant effects on other hormone systems • When excess cortisol is produced less female hormones are made (especially after menopause), less thyroid converted and more food is stored as fat
Menopause and Stress • Adrenal gland makes cortisol and estrogen after menopause • Excess stress= excess cortisol produced so not enough estrogen • Body ‘steals’ progesterone precursor to make cortisol, so not enough progesterone • DHEA production inverse to cortisol, so not enough DHEA
More Causes of Imbalance • Artificial lighting • Lack of mineral cofactors from food • Less restorative sleep/ shift work • Medications including hormones, prednisone, long term antibiotic use • Lack of exercise
Bio-identical Hormones • Synthesized hormones identical to those our body produces • Another tool in the naturopathic tool belt • Help many women reduce hormonal symptoms • Work nicely with herbal medicine • Thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol and testosterone can be prescribed • Customized foreach individual patient • Important to receive comprehensive testing and risk assessment before beginning
Lifestyle and Nutrition Tips • Sleep • Support circadian rhythm and follow a routine • Liver and digestive support • Stress reduction • Exercise
Good Sleep is Healing • Good sleep necessary to heal and detox • Sleep until 9 am if possible (cortisol) • Sleepy herbs and calming amino acids if necessary
Support Circadian Rhythm • Adrenals especially involved, and cortisol/ melatonin hormones • Go outside in the daytime • Sleep in a totally dark room • Support melatonin production and consider a supplement if shift work history • Follow a regular routine for meals and sleep
Liver and Digestive Support • Take herbs to support your liver (milk thistle, rosemary, schizandra) • Eat freshly ground flax seeds 5 x week • Eat organic dairy and meat • Include enough good fats, protein, and mineral cofactors in diet, or supplement • Consider a probiotic • Cleanse it out!
Stress Management • Reduce if possible! • Nervous system tonic or Reba emotional homeopathics • Exercise, yoga, meditation • Eat breakfast
Are Your Hormones Balanced? • Hormone questionnaire • 24 hr urine test • Blood work or saliva testing
Our Hormone Balancing Programs • Unique integrated one year programs • ND partnered with MD • Regular and Unlimited visits programs • Includes initial assessment, 24 hr urine hormone test, any indicated conventional blood testing, test results follow up, and four additional follow ups that year
Progesterone Deficiency • PMS • Painful and/or lumpy breasts • Insomnia • Early miscarriage • Unexplained weight gain • Cyclical headaches • Anxiety • Infertility • Water retention
Estrogen Deficiency • Vaginal dryness • Night sweats • Painful intercourse • Memory problems • Bladder infections • Lethargic depression • Hot flashes
Excess Estrogen • Puffiness and bloating • Abnormal pap smear • Rapid weight gain • Breast tenderness • Mood swings • Heavy bleeding • Anxious depression • Migraine headaches • Insomnia • Foggy thinking • Red flush on face • Gallbladder problems • Weepines
Excess Androgens • Acne • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) • Excessive hair on the face and arms • Hypoglycemia and/or unstable blood sugar • Thinning hair on the head • Infertility • Ovarian cysts • Mid-cycle pain
Cortisol Deficiency • Debilitating fatigue • Unstable blood sugar • Foggy thinking • Low blood pressure • Thin and/or dry skin • Intolerance to exercise • Brown spots on face • Frequent infections
Questions? www.kineticpatterns.ca