I recently chipped away at a very interesting podcast that ran for a hefty 2.5 hours but was a treasure trove of information and guidance dedicated to supporting the hormonal health and vitality of women.
So today, I wanted to share with you some key insights and save you the time!
Knowledge is power and when it comes to your health and fitness, understanding yourself better and having compassion for where you are right now in your journey, is the first step to making meaningful change.
8 Intriguing Factors Influencing Women’s Hormonal Health:
1. Family History, Heredity & Environment: Trauma and intergenerational experiences can have a profound impact on the endocrine system. Genetic links are evident in conditions like perimenopause, menopause, endometriosis, fibroids, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Start a conversation with your family members to better understand your background.
2. The Gut Microbiome: Your gut plays a significant role in hormone balance and metabolism. Women have distinct needs when it comes to managing their gut microbiome to optimise estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, and growth hormone levels. Consider incorporating probiotics, especially during times of stress or after taking antibiotics, and increase your vegetable intake for a healthier gut.
3. Digestive Issues: Women tend to experience more digestive problems than men, often tied to diet, stress, and hormonal imbalances. Constipation, defined as having fewer than one bowel movement per day with incomplete evacuation, is a common issue. Don’t hesitate to discuss this with your healthcare provider, as it may signal other underlying concerns.
4. Managing Stress: Proactive stress management is crucial for enhancing immunity and overall well-being, reducing the risk of chronic disease. Different stress reduction techniques work for different people, including meditation, yoga, breathwork, and more unconventional methods like fostering connections, feeling heard and seen, and nurturing loving relationships. Try a simple practice like 5 minutes of cyclic sighing to boost your mood and lower your resting heart rate.
5. Exercise and Hormone Health: Regular exercise, combining cardio and strength training, is vital for hormonal health. However, be mindful of how exercise affects cortisol levels, as excessive cardio during perimenopause can increase cortisol, leading to weight gain and fatigue. Consider incorporating strength training into your weekly routine using your body weight, resistance bands, or weights.
6. Oral Contraceptives: When it comes to oral contraceptives, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons and understand how they impact your unique physiology. While they provide reproductive choices, they can also deplete micronutrients, affect the microbiome, increase inflammation, and influence thyroid function. Do your research and listen to your body; non-hormonal options like Copper IUDs are worth considering.
7. Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Hormone replacement therapy can be beneficial for women if initiated early during menopause, typically involving estrogen and progesterone. It’s important to note that research conducted with synthetic hormones produced misleading results. Women between the ages of 50-60 tend to benefit the most from HRT, experiencing improved heart health, bone density, and reduced diabetes risk. After 60, there’s a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction.
8. Perimenopause Insights: Perimenopause, the period leading up to a woman’s final menstrual cycle, can span up to a decade. Symptoms may include poor sleep, increased anxiety, and hot flashes. Research indicates that menopause symptoms originate in the brain. Hot flashes and night sweats can serve as biomarkers for cardiometabolic disease, bone loss, and brain changes that elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, explore hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options, both medical and non-medical.
And as a final thought, let’s not forget that we live in a society today where stress is so common it’s the norm, so we might not even realise the impact it’s having on our hormone health. Stress will never go away so it’s about finding a practice you can do regularly to help manage it. This could be as simple as a morning walk, meditation journalling or of course exercise.
I hope these insights have helped you to have a better understanding of what lifestyle changes you can implement to optimise your hormonal health and leave you feeling your best.
